After 'Munni', 'Sheila' and 'Jalebi bai' revived the item number in films, men have now entered the female-dominated territory. If the new trend in Bollywood is anything to go by, the era of 'item boys' has begun.

With top stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan and younger ones Ranbir Kapoor and Abhay Deol doing an item number each in their upcoming movies, men seem to be comfortable being called 'Item boys'.

Amitabh Bachchan had earlier said in an interview that he was desperate to be called an item boy. He has fulfilled his wish in his latest film 'Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap'.

"All these years, I have been desperately waiting to be called an item boy. Please call me that. I feel with this song my wish has come true... and I am satisfied," he said. 

The song 'Go Meera' in the film has Big B in a colorful and flamboyant avatar, dancing to a medley of his own golden hits like 'Khaiye ke Paan Banaras Wala', 'Pag ghunghroo baandh Meera naachi thi', 'Rang Barse' and 'Sara Zamana' among others.

Mr perfectionist of Bollywood, Aamir Khan who dons a retro look and dances to the steps of Mithun Chakraborty in his first ever item number 'Pyar Ne Kar Diya Deewana' in 'Delhi Belly' says that the item boys are the new 'in' thing. 

"This item number is a warning to Katrina and Deepika also stating that the item girl era is now over. It's now time for item boys. They will now face some serious competition, item boys will rock all the way," Aamir said. 

And it's not just Aamir who says that boys rock, nephew Imran Khan couldn't agree more. "It's inevitable and had to happen. Why should girls have all the fun? If given a chance, I will also do an item number but it should be hilarious," Imran said.

Earlier item songs were synonymous with skimpily clad babes and somebody doing it was considered a wannabe but now with A-listers entering the picture, that notion has gone for a toss.

Ranbir has joined the list of item boys, taking inspiration from his father Rishi Kapoor's look of 'Amar Akbar Anthony' for the number 'Tai Tai Phiss' in Salman Khan's production 'Chillar Party'.

Not to be left behind, actor Abhay Deol, who is playing a negative character in Dibakar Banerjee's 'Shanghai', is set to put on his dancing shoes for a number in the film.

It took an item number 'Dard-e-disco' in Farah Khan's 'Om Shanti Om' for Shah Rukh Khan to get a six-pack. The superstar also showed off his dancing talents in 'Kaal', 'Krazzy-4' and home productions 'Billu' and 'Always Kabhi Kabhi'. 

Men might have jumped on to the item number bandwagon, but it is yet to be seen how Ranbir's 'tapori' act or Aamir's disco moves fare against Yana Gupta's raunchy number 'Babuji' or Bipasha's 'Beedi', whose main aim was to titillate the audience and lure them to cinema halls.