Naseeruddin Shah SLAMS Bollywood for “sickening films” celebrating hyper masculinity: “It’s scary to see how much approval such films get from the common viewer” : Bollywood News

January 31, 2025 News जन मंथन

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has openly criticized Bollywood for producing films that glorify hyper-masculinity and degrade women. Speaking at the Kerala Literature Festival alongside actor Parvathy, Shah expressed his disappointment with the current state of Hindi cinema, calling such films “sickening” and a reflection of society’s troubling fantasies. He emphasized that cinema serves as a record of its time, and future generations looking back at these films would find it a “big tragedy.”

Naseeruddin Shah SLAMS Bollywood for “sickening films” celebrating hyper masculinity: “It’s scary to see how much approval such films get from the common viewer”

Shah did not hold back in his critique. He stated that many mainstream films today celebrate masculinity at the expense of femininity, feeding into the secret fantasies of men who, deep down, look down on women. He also linked the success of such films to the alarming treatment of women in society, calling it “terrifying.”

Cinema as a Reflection of Society

During the discussion, Shah highlighted the role of cinema as a mirror to society. He said, “The really important function of cinema is to act as a record of its times. Those are the most valuable films because these films will be seen 100 years later. If 100 years later, people want to know what India of 2025 was like, and they find a Bollywood film, that would be a big tragedy.” His comments underscore the responsibility filmmakers have in shaping cultural narratives and the potential consequences of perpetuating harmful stereotypes.

Shah also admitted that he has done films purely for financial reasons, which he now regrets. However, he expressed gratitude that audiences have largely forgotten those projects. “I have also done some movies which I did only for the money. That’s the simple truth. I don’t think that one needs to be ashamed of working for money. But those are jobs I regret. Fortunately, people don’t remember the bad work you did. As an actor, they only remember the good things you did,” he shared.

The Problem with Hyper Masculinity in Films

When Parvathy asked Shah about the rise of hyper-masculinity in mainstream cinema, he was quick to condemn it. “I do not approve of films that celebrate masculinity and run down the femininity of the characters. Films which debase women,” he said. Shah argued that the popularity of such films reveals something deeply unsettling about society.

He added, “I don’t know if it’s a reflection of our society or if it is a reflection of the fantasies of our society. I think the films which feed into the secret fantasies of men, who in their heart of hearts, look down on women, these are being fed. It’s actually very scary to see how much approval such films get from the common viewer. It’s very terrifying, and it does explain the horrendous things that happen to women in a lot of places in our country.”

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