Bollywood veteran Naseeruddin Shah shared his two cents on the rising trend of hypermasculinity in Indian cinema, while also making a surprising confession about the recent mega-hits like ‘Pushpa’ and ‘RRR’.
In a recent conversation with an Indian digital channel, Naseeruddin Shah said that he couldn’t sit through to watch mainstream hits ‘Pushpa’ and ‘RRR’ due to the hypermasculinity celebrated in those films.
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Speaking about the concept of ‘Be A Man’, Shah said, “Mardo ki insecurity badh rahi hai isiliye aur bhi zayda zor diya ja raha ha hypermasculinity ko (The insecurity of men is increasing which is why hypermasculinity is being emphasized in the films).”
He continued, “All superheroes, now in America, this Marvel universe is thriving, and it’s happening here too. But alongside, films like A Wednesday also succeed, which don’t have a hypermasculine hero.
“But the acceptance of smaller films like those made by Anurag [Kashyap], like Ramprasad Ki Terhvi, like Gulmohar, I think these kinds of sensitive movies will find their place as well,” Shah was optimistic. “I am pretty sure because I have great faith in the younger generation and I think that they are far more evolved, far more informed and far more savvy than we were.”
Speaking further, the veteran also confessed that he tried to watch ‘RRR’ and ‘Pushpa’, but couldn’t sit through entire films.
“Although I did watch a Mani Ratnam film [Ponniyin Selvan], completely, because he is a very capable filmmaker and does not have an agenda. And I can’t imagine besides the thrill or feeding the emotions hidden inside you, there is a sense of happiness that often lingers for several days after watching. I can’t imagine,” he detailed, adding that he can never watch such films.
It is pertinent to mention that with the growing trend of pan-Indian films, ‘RRR’, ‘Pushpa’ and ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ are some of the biggest blockbusters to come out of the South cinema in recent times.
