Bollywood actor Imran Khan recently spoke about having “no interest in playing a hairy, angry man covered in blood”. His remark comes amid the growing popularity of hyper-masculine and violent protagonists in films such as Animal and Dhurandhar: The Revenge.
Imran Khan on toxic masculinity in films
On Wednesday, Imran hosted an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit, where he answered several fan questions. Responding to one fan who urged him to avoid “macho roles”, Imran said, “Yeah, no interest in playing a hairy, angry man covered in blood. I think that genre is generously represented.”
When another fan asked how he defines masculinity at a time when the industry continues to present alpha, tough guys as the standard of real men, Imran offered a thoughtful response. He said, “I am disturbed by the upward trend in how misogyny and toxic masculinity are propagated in our films, and the world at large. I fear that men shy away from these conversations because at an individual level they feel blamed for the actions of others… and because of this, they miss the point that these restrictive definitions of masculinity hurt men as well. True strength lies in emotional vulnerability.”
{{/usCountry}}When another fan asked how he defines masculinity at a time when the industry continues to present alpha, tough guys as the standard of real men, Imran offered a thoughtful response. He said, “I am disturbed by the upward trend in how misogyny and toxic masculinity are propagated in our films, and the world at large. I fear that men shy away from these conversations because at an individual level they feel blamed for the actions of others… and because of this, they miss the point that these restrictive definitions of masculinity hurt men as well. True strength lies in emotional vulnerability.”
{{/usCountry}}Imran also responded to a fan who expressed concern over “mainstream Bollywood heroes being loud, aggressive and glorifying violence against women”, and asked how he views this shift in the industry as an actor. He said, “Thank you! I have also noticed this trend and am disturbed by the way these films coddle every violent tantrum thrown by emotionally immature man-children who can’t conceive of a valid reason that a woman might spurn their advances. Important to note that there’s a significant difference between portraying violence and toxicity, and validating them. I see it as people chasing a trend without consideration. My own sensibilities would not permit me to participate in a narrative which I consider to be irresponsible.”
While Imran did not name any specific film directly, his comments have sparked discussion online, especially at a time when larger-than-life violent male leads continue to dominate mainstream cinema.
About Dhurandhar: The Revenge
Dhurandhar: The Revenge stars Ranveer Singh as an Indian spy on a mission to dismantle the terror network threatening India. In the process, his character is shown in several intense and brutal confrontations, including a major face-off with Arjun Rampal's character. The film also stars R Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi, Sanjay Dutt and Sara Arjun in key roles. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film received a positive response from both audiences and critics and has so far collected ₹623 crore at the domestic box office.
Imran Khan’s recent work
Imran was last seen in Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos. Helmed by Vir Das and Kavi Shastri, the film also featured Vir Das, Mithila Palkar, Mona Singh and Sharib Hashmi in key roles. Although Imran only had a cameo, the film marked his return to the silver screen after ten years. It received mixed reviews from audiences. He is yet to announce his next project.
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