Examining Toxic Masculinity under the Guise of ‘Romance’ in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Hindi Films

Cinema is a powerful medium capable of normalizing or stigmatizing societal practices and of significantly influencing cultural paradigms. This study analyzes Vanga’s Kabir Singh (2019) and Animal (2023) in terms of their portrayals of masculinity and romance. It demonstrates that these films consistently romanticize dominance and aggression, presenting them as integral to male identity and passionate love. By framing controlling and violent behaviors as signs of passion and love, they reinforce patriarchal norms rather than critiquing them. While each narrative depicts a hero’s emotional struggle, both ultimately justify toxic masculine traits through their resolutions. This research situates Vanga’s work within broader cinematic and cultural trends, showing how blockbuster popular culture can shape gender expectations. The analysis reveals that love in these films is portrayed as a vehicle that excuses brutality and grants redemption to the abuser, a message with dangerous implications for audiences. Given the massive reach of these films, their normalization of abuse under the guise of romance risks reinforcing harmful stereotypes about gender and relationships in Indian society. The findings highlight the need for critical media literacy and more responsible storytelling to challenge these damaging tropes

Hegemonic masculinity · Hindi · Masculinity · Movie theater · Narrative · Romance · Storytelling · Gender, Feminism, and Media · Media, Gender, and Advertising · South Asian Cinema and Culture