Kabir Singh: The Pinnacle of Problematic Cinema
- Areeba Rasheed
- Oct 7, 2024
- 2 min read
Ah, Bollywood— song-and-dance routines, melodrama and larger-than-life characters who often make you feel like your life is a poorly scripted movie. Today, let’s dive into a Bollywood movie so dense that even Emile Durkheim would need a drink. Enter our beloved Shahid Kapoor’s Kabir Singh—the cinematic blockbuster masterpiece where toxic masculinity and patriarchal fantasies collide while the ever-melodious Arijit Singh sings in the back, all with the title of “love story.”
He is the hero we don’t deserve.
Our hero, Kabir Singh. Played by Shahid Kapoor, Kabir is a brilliant surgeon who is angry, violent, and prone to abuse. I mean, he literally slaps Preeti. What else does he have to do in ordee to be singled out as an abuser? Let us not forget that Bollywood has a habit of combining intelligence with arrogance, he is celebrated for it. But let’s pause here and take a long, patriarchal sip of tea, shall we?
The Bollywood Problem: Romance as Stockholm Syndrome
Bollywood’s long tradition of portraying harassment and stalking as acts of love is a sociological problem on its own. In this movie, we see a textbook example of the “hero” being utterly obsessed with his love interest to the point where it’s not romance—it’s a hostage situation. It is a ‘I am not interested in your input-situation’
Kabir’s affection is less “I love you” and more “You’re mine, deal with it.” Preeti’s silent consent is not the kind of message one needs in a society that exists in South Asia. Still, Preeti is held up as a virtue, as though being a quiet woman who is submissive is the gold standard of femininity. Durkheim’s concept of anomie—a breakdown of social norms—comes into play here, where society fails to give women like Preeti any agency or voice of her own. She’s little more than a prop in Kabir’s self-destructive narrative.
The Big Finish: Justifying Bad Behavior?
Let’s not forget the final cherry on top of this gigantic toxic sundae: Kabir’s “redemption arc.” After spending most of the movie in an hostile tailspin, Kabir is finally awarded for his bad behavior. He gets the career, the girl, and his family This neat little ending ties everything up in a bow, sending the message that it’s perfectly fine to treat women like garbage—just make sure you feel really bad about it afterward. Time for a standing ovation, everyone.
Conclusion: When Sociology and Cinema Collide
Kabir Singh is a perfect storm of problematic tropes, societal expectations, and gender norms. It’s a film where toxic masculinity isn’t just tolerated—it’s celebrated. From a sociological perspective, the movie serves as a case study in how media can perpetuate damaging ideals under the guise of romance.
So, dear Bollywood, the next time you try to sell us a “tragic love story,” maybe check with a sociologist first. Or better yet, just don’t.
In the meantime, let’s raise a glass to Kabir Singh—a movie that somehow manages to be both a cinematic triumph and a sociological dumpster fire. Cheers!