Kabir singh and the outrage - a long series of questions

Hello all,

. Noticed the outrage of Kabir Singh on social media and couldn’t help but ask a few questions to the people who are offended

These are genuine questions meant to encourage discussion and not an attack on anyone’s views. I am a feminist myself so im curious abt the outage.

Now I have seen Arjun reddy not Kabir Singh. So I have a fair idea of what there movie is abt and I understand the outage on misogyny. I personally liked the film but will get into that later. Given the objections people had abt the film, wanted to ask a few things

A few years ago we had vidya Balans dirty picture release. On the surface level, it’s a cheap film abt skin show and some moral guardians banned it. But a few others delved deeper and understood that it was a character study of a strangely empowered, but screwed up woman.

A woman who was an attention seeker, who did manipulate situations to her benefit, got into an affair with a married man but who was also unapologetic about her actions and wore it on her sleeve. The movie too glorified her in a sense that she was “one of a kind”, “industry ka hero” , with a man falling in love with her and with Ishq sufiyaana playing in the background. The film urged us to look beyond the surface to see her as a woman of agency and honesty showing both the good and bad in her. People found the character interesting for all her flaws, film became a super hit and vidya rightfully won all the awards .

Now coming to Kabir Singh. The character IS an asshole . He doesn’t think men are better than woman. He thinks he’s better than everyone else. He thinks everyone including his dad and his family and his friends should listen to him. And that includes his girlfriend. He’s unapologetic about having sexual desires too, much like Silk. He has severe god complex and is violent. He has his good qualities in terms of his passion towards his profession, his honesty and some sense of concern towards the people he loves.

My point is why can we accept a character like silk for all her flaws, and question a character like Kabir? Note Its Not about liking either of them. I’m not particularly fond of either. But they make interesting characters to watch on screen.

Is the films lead character the same as the hero of the film? Should be or she always be idealistic?

Critics were disturbed by how he film was recieved..but people also whistled when the joker made his entrance in the dark knight, or laughed when Khilji sprayed perfume on a woman and rubbed himself on her....people found wolf of Wall Street hilarious too....they were laughing and lauding the design and audacious portrayal of the character....not nessarily his psychotic acts? How abt Barney Stinson from himym? The shows funniest most quoted character is a sociopath...can ppl find a character amusing on screen without hoping he existed in their lives? I think so

People talk of showing consequences for a bad character, but Should we always have films showing good things happening to good people and bad things happening to bad people? Last I checked the repulsive Khilji from Padmaavat was he sole survivor and the “brave” Ratan Singh and Padmaavati die in the end. So what consequences did he face apart from not possessing Padmavathi?

If a film gets an adult rating, isn’t it legit to expect adults will watch it therefore be able to decide what’s right and wrong for themselves? And not try to do drugs and alcohol or act like a psychopath coz it looks cool in the film?

Ok end of my jumbled thoughts and questions . 😂 Would love to hear more views.

Ya agree with what u say. I m quite baffled that people who praised Ranveer to the sky for his portrayal of Khilji are bashing Shahid for taking up this movie .Khilji was a tyrant who destroyed many bcoz of his massive ego and lust. Padmavat glorified that villain..and people actually made fun of Shahid who portrayed the 'character' given to him as he was told to.

If u condemn one why glorify other..bash both equally. And if they r to be praised for their act..praise them equally.

I like Ranveer as a performer so m not a hater

Also the outrage on women lacking agency in the film...

The film is titled Kabir Singh so it is all abt him and his POV...why must every story have a badass woman? I love my badass devasenas, simmis, safeenas etc but Don’t shy, under confident women deserve a representation in our films?

From what I know Preeti’s character has a genuine arc in the film from being submissive to becoming a strong woman who can take care of herself and face worse times than Kabir and not resort to drugs or alcohol as escape...she comes off looking much more admirable by the end of the film.

Also the fact that disturbing situations are played for laughs..I was one of the many people who laughed my heart out during the tabu scenes in andhadhun....again, I can enjoy her character without endorsing her actions...

Originally posted by: niyati13

Ya agree with what u say. I m quite baffled that people who praised Ranveer to the sky for his portrayal of Khilji are bashing Shahid for taking up this movie .Khilji was a tyrant who destroyed bcoz of his massive ego and lust. Padmavat glorified that villain..and people actually made fun of Shahid who portrayed the 'character' given to him as he was told to.

If u condemn one why glorify other..bash both equally. And if they r to be praised for their act..praise them equally.

I like Ranveer as a performer so m not a hater

First bring Ranveer in a post totally unrelated to him ..... And then say I am not a hater 👏

OT: as someone mentioned yesterday, that we are facing an issue with Kabir kinda behaviour in society, it has become an epidemic, hence few people are scared of the outcome of such glorification... While women like silk are few and don't think her character was causing serious harm to others, other than the fact that she wrecked a home, but for that the guy was equally responsible.

Originally posted by: niyati13

Ya agree with what u say. I m quite baffled that people who praised Ranveer to the sky for his portrayal of Khilji are bashing Shahid for taking up this movie .Khilji was a tyrant who destroyed bcoz of his massive ego and lust. Padmavat glorified that villain..and people actually made fun of Shahid who portrayed the 'character' given to him as he was told to.

If u condemn one why glorify other..bash both equally. And if they r to be praised for their act..praise them equally.

I like Ranveer as a performer so m not a hater

Khilji was shown as out n out savage criminal. There was no “pure love” and that his actions were pictured in a negative light. He was never glorified or his love depicted pure . His actions were depicted as problematic hence even his wife betrayed him. Also, Padmavati is shown as empowered and not some spineless woman. She chooses death over being with someone as pathetic as Khilji.

Arjun Reddy is shown as someone who is in love and that the love depicted is pure. Normalizing misogynistic behavior in a relatable environment is problematic. Glorifying Toxic Masculinity .

^^ I do see the point but then again, Arjun/Kabir also faces severe consequences for his actions...he’s thrown out of his house and disowned by his family...his friends also eventually tell him off....he loses his medical licence ...at one point in the film his condition is the same as a homeless man on the street....

I don’t think that’s a life anybody would aspire to have...given it’s shown as a result of his behaviour....a sane adult should see that the so called masculinity is actually cowardly and has a pathetic outcome....

Actually you've written down my thoughts here. Very nicely written indeed.👏

Kabir Singh is not the protagonist who would be anyone's idol, rather he is an example of how a youth can get destroyed with their uncontrollable behaviour. To my surprise many have started bashing the movie without even watching it or Arjun Reddy properly. Coz eventually he repented and realized after suffering for months which nobody is talking about.

A movie is not about showcasing a character who has to be positive in every angle. The lead character can have his flaws, people even end up showing empathy for the antagonists too. Joker (2019) movie is an example to that. Your illustration of Silk from The Dirty Picture is also one of those instances that a character does not need to be an ideal for describing her story to the audience.

I think main problem is bec a guy like Kabir Singh gets a happy ending which many r not able to digest unlike characters like Silk or Khilji who dint get happy endings ..

But mayb i m in minority but i feel fact that kabir does get a happy ending also sends out a positive message of hope fr those who hv been through all sorts of rehabilitation centers to come out of their addiction ..The msg is if u can bring a change in your behaviour and want to live life with a positive approach then theres always a second chance that God gives u which is what Kabir might hv learnt after he lost his loved ones ..

I hv not seen the movie myself but just commenting based on what I understand after reading Arjun reddy's story ...Will b watching kabir singh this sunday ..then mayb can judge better ..

But finally a sensible post on this subject without any bias 👍🏼

^^ I agree I would have preferred if Preeti didn’t come back to Kabir and just raised the kid on her own....that ending would been perfect...

But then she did show spine when she didn’t come running back to him as soon as she found herself pregnant coz she knew he was problematic....toward the end I did like that she’s gets to tell him off....even though she eventually agrees out of love for him...

Preetis initial silence also bothered me but if u think abt it, she’s a 17 year old fresher who’s probably terrified in her new hostel environment...perhaps she’s initially submissive coz she’s scared of her senior but she does show consent when we see her blushing after meeting him...I get why a teenager would get attracted to her alpha male brilliant senior...:obviously she sees his toxic side later in the film ...but the initial “foolish teenager” attraction, I get....

^^ I agree ..Main point here is nowhere in the movie the girl says no to Kabir's advances ..Now whether its out of fear or teenage attraction is another debate but she sort of gives in her consent to whatever he does ..In fact I do feel she enjoys his attention and its natural bec when the most popular boy in college gives u exclusive attention ,its very natural fr a teenage girl to enjoy it ..Also its not like Kabir is some roadside gunda mawali ..He is studying medical in same college and comes fm a good family ..So if we keep his anger issues and dominating nature aside ,then no girl will hv problem with such a guy giving her exclusive attention in college ..

So the movie does bring out the reality and obviously many pseudo feminist critics hv problem with reality though fr them a movie like veera di wedding is perfect bec hey it shows female domination 😃