International Men's Day 2024: On-Screen Male Characters That Became The Face of Positive Masculinity
Iconic On-Screen Men: Cinema is a reflection of society. So where there is a side of cinema that glorifies the traumas of Kabir Singh and Ranvijay Singh who seek recourse in violence, and patriarchy for the love they missed as a child, there are also Mr Jauhari and Sunny Gill who became resonating icons of love, compassion, positive masculinity and women’s equal status in the society.
Today we spotlight the latter because enough has been said about the “bad men” only to give them more publicity. Positive masculinity needs to be amplified
Mr. Jauhari from Made in Heaven S2
Made in Heaven has been able to craftfully bring out the vulnerabilities of manhood on screen in ways more than others. Season 2 finally gave us a Mr.Jauhari played by Vijay Raaz who was not valourised for raising voice for the suppressed Bulbul Jauhari essayed by Mona Singh.
A champion of women’s equal status in the business world and society, he advocated for respect and love even when his own son was at stake.
Sunny Gill from Dil Dhadakane Do
The scene where Sunny Gill, aka Farhan Akhtar, proves the functioning of patriarchy by using the words of the patriarch himself is etched in the memory of every person who has watched the women. Sunny is the perfect example of how advocating for someone else does not necessarily mean raising the pitch of one's voice; on the contrary, it means raising the differences pressed on them to marginalize them.
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Bhaskor Banerjee from Piku
Quite an unconventional father to be portrayed on the Hindi cinematic screen, Bhaskor Banerjee was a father with qualities women seek in their fathers. He was essentially the opposite of how the father was represented on screen. Liberal and outspoken, Piku’s father wanted her to set herself free in the sky, and not claw her wings.
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Jayeshbhai from Jayeshbhai Jordaar
Fighting a system as a part of the system is not easy, as Jayeshbhai proved. He had to succumb to the display of a tough man outside his bedroom for the sake of his wife and daughter in a society where they are looked upon as the dirt of the feet. He empowered his daughter and wife for a fight, so when the time came, he was their hero, and they were the heroines of their tale as well.
In this era, when seeking green flags is no longer something to be ashamed of, it is also essential to know what these green flags are and why they matter. These men have given us just that.
