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Analysis of the movies Koi...mil gaya and Father, son and holy war through the lens of hegemonically imposed idea of manhood, Assignments of The Avant Garde in Literature and Cinema

The paper analyses how a hegemonic idea of manhood is imposed in society and this idea controls both men and women. The causes and manifestation of this are analysed and their influence in the said movies is seen.

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2019/2020

Uploaded on 06/05/2020

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Jashkumar Jain
Gender and Culture in Bollywood Cinema
Do the movies FSHW and Koi Mil Gaya depict that a toxic idea of masculinity is
hegemonically imposed in society and that leads to violence?
Michael Kimmel in hisbook Manhood in America observes:
“Manhood is less about the drive for domination and more about the fear of others
dominating us, having power or control over us. Throughout American history men have been
afraid that others will see us as less than manly, as weak, timid, frightened.”
Kimmel here is describing the social pressures that force adoption of a version of manhood that
is physically imposing, macho and aggressive. Toxic male homosocial groups give impetus to
the adoption of this toxic aggressive version of manhood and this version is hegemonically
imposed on the society. Although Kimmel’s observations can be seen in India as well. This
tendency of men makes them susceptible to perpetrating and validating violence or the victims of
it. My paper, through the films Father, Son and Holy War and Koi...Mil Gaya argues that the
described toxic idea of masculinity is hegemonically imposed and, in the case of the former film,
makes men susceptible to inflicting violence, and in the case of the latter, makes men inflict
violence or be its victims if they do not adhere to the said idea of manhood.
I have chosen the film Father, Son and Holy War because one of the things the movie
focuses on is documenting toxic male homosocial groups and how their engagement with
political oration, which is often enmeshed with religious propaganda, makes males positively
respond to the aggressive appeals of the communalists. The second choice movie Koi...Mil Gaya
is rather non-political, however, the sci-fi drama depicts how the idea of toxic masculinity is
hegemonic and not adhering to it invites violence upon oneself. The movie, to further accentuate
the dominance of toxic manhood, portrays the main character physically beat up his foes once his
manhood becomes compliant with the dominant idea of it. My analysis is restricted to instances
of the depiction of manhood, the male homosocial dynamics, male engagement with political
rhetoric and violence and the interlinkage of these. It further examines how the said hegemony
and the verbal, physical and sexual violence that follows manifests.
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Jashkumar Jain Gender and Culture in Bollywood Cinema Do the movies FSHW and Koi Mil Gaya depict that a toxic idea of masculinity is hegemonically imposed in society and that leads to violence? Michael Kimmel in hisbook Manhood in America observes: “Manhood is less about the drive for domination and more about the fear of others dominating us, having power or control over us. Throughout American history men have been afraid that others will see us as less than manly, as weak, timid, frightened.” Kimmel here is describing the social pressures that force adoption of a version of manhood that is physically imposing, macho and aggressive. Toxic male homosocial groups give impetus to the adoption of this toxic aggressive version of manhood and this version is hegemonically imposed on the society. Although Kimmel’s observations can be seen in India as well. This tendency of men makes them susceptible to perpetrating and validating violence or the victims of it. My paper, through the films Father, Son and Holy War and Koi...Mil Gaya argues that the described toxic idea of masculinity is hegemonically imposed and, in the case of the former film, makes men susceptible to inflicting violence, and in the case of the latter, makes men inflict violence or be its victims if they do not adhere to the said idea of manhood. I have chosen the film Father, Son and Holy War because one of the things the movie focuses on is documenting toxic male homosocial groups and how their engagement with political oration, which is often enmeshed with religious propaganda, makes males positively respond to the aggressive appeals of the communalists. The second choice movie Koi...Mil Gaya is rather non-political, however, the sci-fi drama depicts how the idea of toxic masculinity is hegemonic and not adhering to it invites violence upon oneself. The movie, to further accentuate the dominance of toxic manhood, portrays the main character physically beat up his foes once his manhood becomes compliant with the dominant idea of it. My analysis is restricted to instances of the depiction of manhood, the male homosocial dynamics, male engagement with political rhetoric and violence and the interlinkage of these. It further examines how the said hegemony and the verbal, physical and sexual violence that follows manifests.

Adoring physical prowess and the brute in men who have it happens early on in childhood, with children not more than the age of 9-10 years shown watching international wrestling matches on a television set as shown in Father Son and Holy War ( FSHW ). The children are thoroughly entertained by such a show and they fancy performing the stunts performed by the professionals themselves. Non-examination of the dominant idea of manhood and what imposes it and its consequences make it hegemonic, as seen with the kids and other males in the film. The kids then perform similar stunts on each other, without the fear of consequences. On being asked their reasons for their behaviour, they have absurd illogical answers such as boys are heroes, they do not know what they are indulging in and why. The likening of being violent to being a hero is because the aggressive narrative of manhood is glorified by males across age groups. Later on, the film FSHW documents another instance of glorifying muscular men with huge physiques in a body-building event. This event can be seen as an elderly version of the situation analyzed previously. These men are cheered on by other men, just like the kids cheer the wrestlers. One can observe the hegemonic influence of this desire manifest when, on being interviewed, these men talk lowly of men who do not have such brute physiques. The hegemonizing of toxic manhood, which at some levels happens through the religious rhetoric, makes men seek glory even in the acts of violence not directly committed by them. This rhetoric is ratified by the political and religious leaders by frivolously citing religious reasons and misleading interpretations of religious texts. FSHW captures how Sati, which is an incredibly heinous act of violence on women, who succumb to the social pressures and commit sati, is glorified by men of the households where Sati is committed to a woman. The said religious interpretations leave an extremely lasting impression on these men who do not question the occurrence of sati. In the movie we see women do gather and protest against sati. It is the men who are condemning these protests by women and validating sati. Politicians in the movie, in a very similar nature as the religious leaders, stir up brute young men, who are ready to indulge in violence and to experience a false sense of glory. The ignite communal sentiments in these men. Shiv Sena leader Balasaheb Thakrey in Bombay, BJP leaders involved in the Babri Masjid episodes are seen indulging in such acts of stirring up Hindus and pitting them against the Muslims. When their political agenda demands these leaders mobilize men into riots where they channelize their aggression and seek communal glory. The

limited to males, even females, other than being victims of this societal phenomenon, also buy into the image of the ideal man and often desire for such a man to be their partner. Rohit, who despite his incapability to be one, does not escape the desire to belong to the said category of men. This desire becomes prominent when on realizing that Nisha does not think of Rohit as her romantic partner expresses his displeasure with being abnormal to his mother. In fact, when Rohit has the capability he even beats up Raj and his friends and gives in to the very idea of manhood that was the reason for much of his initial struggles. In Rohit, the kids watching wrestling, men idolizing muscular men, and men indulging in communal violence after getting influenced by politicians, we see a common pattern of psychological captivation of these men by the rash, aggressive and toxic image of men, triggering of these traits by religious, political or in Rohit’s case intimate emotional sentiments and then unleashing of violence in verbal, physical or sexual forms. Although the primary source of perpetuating toxic masculinity is male homosocial groups, these ideas are valorized by females too by sexual and romantic validation, as in the case of Nisha. Males, females and persons of other gender are all victims of violence perpetrated by these men, in FSHW for example, all Muslims irrespective of their sexual orientation or gender were victims of violence that toxic masculinity leads to. Masculinity in various segments of society, in India and abroad, can be viewed and interpreted through this lens.

Filmography Patwardhan, Anand, director. Father, Son and Holy War. Anand Patwardhan, 1995. Roshan, Rakesh, director. Koi...Mil Gaya. Rakesh Roshan, 2003. Bibliography Agarwal, Puroshottam. ‘ Surat, Savarkar and Draupadi: Legitimising Rape as a Political Weapon’, in T. Sarkar and U. Butalia (eds) Women and Right-Wing Movements: Indian Experiences, pp. 29-57. London, New Jersey: Zed Books, 1995. Kimmel, Michael. Manhood in America: A Cultural History. New York: Free Press, 1996. Well done, Jash. You ask an interesting question and the juxtaposition of two very different films in terms of form and content works well for your paper. You’ve explained masculinity adequately and presented an analysis with good examples from the films as well as theoretical texts. Grade: A-