If I ask people around me how their idea of masculinity is influenced, the most probable answer I will get is through popular culture, media or movies. Well, there’s no denying that cinema in our society is a gateway to the imagination of other people and a way through which people can escape their boring lives, but when it comes to the influence it has on us, I must say it has a hard impact on all of our lifestyles, whether directly or indirectly.
Male emotional behaviour in the movies is depicted as stunted, shortsighted and hinging upon extremes because it is never free from the performative pressure of masculinity that our society has defined for them, that ceaselessly wants us to believe that maleness inherently implies strength and charisma; which is why male emotional experiences portrayed on screen are choked by this distressing need to channelize every desperate yearning into an opportunity of risk-taking action and heroism.


Boys of all ages watch these films and mould their behaviour to fit into the so-called definition of the ideal man.
 But again the problem is not in these individual depictions, but if these are the only depictions of the male behaviour culturally available to us,  the lessons about manhood are learned silently by a boy before he even gets to understand his emotions. 
There is no one definition for the word ‘masculinity as it is different for all of us. What if a man decides not to work outside and earn and rather stay at home and raise his children? Maybe his wife is much more capable than him and he respects his wife for earning for them. Is it less manly than we think? Does this negate the man’s masculinity? What if that same man staying at home, is a social volunteer or a teacher and goes to the gym and works out? Will he be called masculine now? Because he is working, because he is fit and strong and passing the parameters of being a man. How ironic! 

Image source: Purpose Studio