Group Discussion on Evolution of Masculinity and Queers in Indian Cinema

                                                  Group Discussion on Evolution of Masculinity and Queers in Indian Cinema

Date of Event : 4 Aug, 2017

A Group Discussion, in collaboration with Readers’ Club, Dept. of English, was organized by the guild on 4 Aug. '17. The topic was “Evolution of Masculinity and Queers in Indian Cinema” and drew man students to it for the highly contested and debatable issues that were proposed to be talked about. The discussants, comprising the students and the faculty members from the Department of English, deliberated on how the heroes in Indian films have evolved over a period of time.

The consensus that emerged from the lively and animated discussion was that the typical male hero who could not express his emotions earlier has now become more expressive and emotionally forthcoming though some films still propagate gendered stereotypes such as ‘real men don’t cry’, and the like. The depiction of ‘queers’, too, and the use of this term for the LGBT community were discussed in great detail. The students asserted that the cinematic representation of the third gender today has moved from a comical, ludicrous portrayal to a more sensitive and realistic one. The discussion ended with each member of the group having made her point and voiced her opinion.