U.S. Playboy Chief Executive Christie Hefner said she considers the launch in India among the company's boldest ventures — its first without any nude content. But many feel the lack of nude content won’t hinder sales.
"Indian readers are bold and mature enough to handle such stuff," international Indian model Nina Manuel added. "Haven't we had a magazine like Debonair in India? Debonair catered to a niche audience but was reasonably successful. I am sure when Playboy is launched here, it will sell like hot cakes. If Debonair could survive here, so will Playboy. There are lots of men around who want to read and see such stuff."
Manuel also said she feels the models featured in such bold magazines will satisfy the sexual urge of many Indians.
And some men have already started drawing up their wish list on which women they’d like to see featured in the new Indian Playboy.
"I want Yana Gupta, Mallika Sherawat and Bipasha Basu to pose for the cover," Indian fashion designer Tarun Sharma said.
Gupta is the new face of Lakme, India’s major cosmetics line. Sherawat and Basu are Indian actresses and models, as well as two of India’s well known sex symbols.
Maxim reportedly has already recruited models Salman Khan and Upen Patel, among others, to pose for its covers.
However, Indian author Shobhaa De, an erotic fiction writer, said she believes both magazines will take three to five years to establish a base.
"The era of titillating content is over, especially abroad,” De said. “And that is a major reason why these magazines are foraying Asia. These magazines are coming here with a lot of optimism and they are surely not here to make money. What we have to understand is that the brand equity of these magazines has eroded. How many people outside the media have heard about Maxim? I am sure not many.”
