We know what happens sometimes when men write about women. Breasts, hips (even ponytails) sway as heroines go the mall or to war. Women characters push men's journeys forward, disappear from the story after the item number. They rarely showcase the range of the female experience.
But when the roles are reversed, and women filmmakers craft male characters, something unusual happens - usually. It gives men, even muscled heroes, the kind of depth that audiences rarely see. Men are allowed to be vulnerable, exhausted, communicative, human. Audiences get to see what green flags look like in a romantic partner. Check out how many "Bro is a green forest"-type comments pop up on clips of Farhan Akhtar from Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), and Ranveer Singh in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani (2023). Men seem to love it too. Filmmaker Tanuja Chandra recalls something the late actor Irrfan Khan told her when they were shooting Qarib Qarib Singlle (2017). Khan plays Yogi in a rom-com about two people with contrasting personalities connecting on a dating app. Yogi is attractive, but more whimsical than macho. "He's someone who considers a woman his equal, if not better, and would never cross a boundary with her,” Chandra says. "Irrfan said that we had written a male character whom women longed for in real life. Someone who had flaws and annoying qualities that made him real, but who was also tender and respectful and a feminist," she says. "I told him, 'Why not? If one can't do this in movies, where else might one do this?""
Today's women filmmakers are determined to give their characters, male and female, a break from the tired tropes so audiences can breathe easy too. See how they do it.
Boy meets world
Denne historien er fra April 06, 2024-utgaven av Brunch.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 06, 2024-utgaven av Brunch.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Rohit Chawla
Photographer, artist, @RohitChawlaPhotography_
Congratulations, it's a goal
Lakeside vows, pastel palettes, bayous, backyards and boats. These celeb weddings are what modern fairytales are made of
Rail against the machine
Valay Shende's Virar Fast depicts more than Mumbai's constant state of rush. Despite the struggle, there's empathy too
No need for soirée excuses
Not all party guests are created equal. Make sure you have an escape plan, in case you're stuck with someone dull
100 years, one epic dinner
How did the Hindustan Times celebrate its centenary in Delhi? With a lavish, ambitious dinner served by a top chef, in a magical garden. It can never be done again
Sauce and sorcery
Video projections on your plate, holograms dancing at the table, customised tunes with every course. Tech's coming to dinner. Will you reorder or reboot?
Who hates the haters now?
Online trolls used to terrify influencers. Now, hate is hardly a surprise. It's a sign of engagement, real viewers; a chance to clap back and wield power. Take a look
Are you earring this?
Don't put the heavy jewellery back in storage after the festivities. Stylists offer tips on how to wear them all year and still look chic
Clash of clans: Festive edit
Set boundaries, ask your own questions, prep for the prying moments. Here's how to survive the family gathering without going nuts
Krutika
Content creator, @TheMermaidScales