Valentine’s Day evokes imagery starting from corny to heartfelt with a wholesome dose of clichés thrown into the combination. Annually, we’re bombarded with commercials, social media messages, newspaper advertisements and some hoardings, all encouraging us to take a look at the world with love-tinted glasses. No two folks put on the identical glasses although. For some, they’re gentle pink and rosy whereas others like them deep flaming purple. Which maybe interprets to the totally different varieties of affection tales and male protagonists we see on display. Some good, some secure bets, and a few outright poisonous. Or as we are able to label them right this moment, Pookie, Prem and problematic.
As I researched among the most romantic movies launched over the previous three many years and a few latest digital content material, I had an attention-grabbing realisation. Opposite to my assumption, that the ‘Raanjhanaas’ and ‘Animals’ have been unleashed solely lately on our massive screens, we’ve got had fairly a lot of poisonous lover boys in Hindi cinema. The Prems in the mean time have been a gentle presence for a very long time in Barjatyaland and mainstream TV reveals. Then we realised that whereas they weren’t into slapping their girlfriends as an expression of affection, their vanilla personalities made them removed from excellent. The Pookie guys have usually remained in inexperienced flag territory, profitable our hearts with their loyal, well-mannered and handsome selves.
So, women and gents, on Valentine’s Day, as we decide romantic films to observe or plan a particular night with the one who stands out as the butter to our bread, let’s have a look at a few of our most memorable Pookie, Prem and problematic on-screen male characters.
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Shahid Kapoor in Jab We Met.
1. Pookie: Pookie males are often inexperienced flag bearers. Handsome, light and supportive males who’ve been raised to respect girls and by no means cross the road. If analysed carefully, there are sub-Pookie sorts in Hindi cinema and now OTT content material. A few of them are cute however not competent, and it takes the proper woman to return alongside or dump them earlier than they determine to actively grownup or prioritise what’s essential. Whether or not it’s Shahid Kapoor in Jab We Met, Ranbir Kapoor in Barfi, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Wake Up Sid, Ranveer Singh in Band Baaja Baaraat, or Hrithik Roshan in Lakshya, for one class of the Pookie guys, love is the catalyst for change, dedication and private development.
Then there may be Pookie with a touch of brat. Shah Rukh Khan in DDLJ had no nice profession ambitions however he travelled throughout continents to win over his woman love and her household. Aamir Khan in Dil Chahata Hain was a good-hearted however frivolous man who turned a brand new leaf after falling in love. Ayushmaan Khurrana in Bareilly Ki Barfi bullied poor Pritam Vidrohi (Rajkummar Rao) however was additionally a person in love. Particular Pookie mentions must go to Irrfan Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in The Lunchbox, Saif Ali Khan in Kal Ho Naa Ho and Hum Tum, Vicky Kaushal in Masaan and Imraan Ansari from Paatal Lok. To borrow and alter the enduring line from As Good As It Will get, love makes Pookies need to be higher males, not anti-social components.
Madhuri Dixit and Salman Khan in Hum Aapke Hain Koun.
2. Prem: The Prem sort of males are the difficult sort. Consider them like scoops of vanilla ice cream, nice on paper and often simple to get together with, whether or not you’re a brownie or gajar ka halwa. Maybe the thought of Prem, (created by the light and genteel Rajshri Productions banner), was a response to the hyper-masculine, ‘mard ko dard nahin hota’ model of male characters in Hindi cinema. Prem was candy, obedient, sanskaari, mother’s pet and upheld conventional Indian values. He shows occasional spunk and a way of humour, however deep down he’s a conformist and wishes a associate who will settle for his passive regressive expectations. We noticed variations of him in Maine Pyaar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Hum Saath Saath Hain, the ghastly Most important Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, Vivaah, and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. Salman performed a model of Prem in Baghban as properly, the place he fairly actually worshipped his adoptive dad and mom. The Prem class of males are peaceable, well-mannered enforcers of patriarchy. Strategy with warning.
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Dia Mirza and R Madhavan in Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein.
3. Problematic: The wonderful thing about problematic males is that they’ll hardly ever cover the truth that they’re human purple flags. For many years ladies and men have been interested in the proverbial ‘unhealthy boys’; males who’re verbally, emotionally or bodily abusive, or in search of rehabilitation below the guise of romance. Sadly, these males are shrewd sufficient to gaslight their companions into feeling accountable for their unhealthy behaviour. Generally, like Shahid Kapoor in Kabir Singh or Ranbir Kapoor in Animal, they arrive with mixtures of issues. Chauvinist, bodily abusive and self-destructive, or daddy points, poisonous masculinity and emotionally unstable. As a lot we criticise Animal and Kabir Singh, we’ve got had a surprisingly lengthy checklist of problematic characters whose want for behavioural counselling was glorified as love, or just handed off as males might be males. Arjun Kapoor in Ishaqzzade, Ranbir Kapoor in Ae Dil Hain Mushkil, R.Madhavan in Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, Dhanush in Raanjhana, Atrangi Re and from the seems of it Tere Ishk Mein as properly, Shah Rukh Khan in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Salman Khan in Tere Naam and Vicky Kaushal in Raman Raghav 2.0, are simply among the many examples the place males with unresolved psychological well being issues or deep-rooted patriarchal conditioning, flip love right into a torture system.
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One has to usually meet a number of frogs and beasts earlier than discovering Prince Charming after which hope he stays that method ever after. This Valentine’s Day, I hope you discover somebody who each loves and respects you, calls you out in your poisonous habits and is your closest good friend on the earth. Whether or not your sort is Pookie, Prem or problematic, discover somebody who doesn’t dim your gentle, however helps you shine shiny just like the diamond you might be. Pleased Valentine’s Day!!
