Redefining masculinity in Bollywood: Acknowledging the subtle shift to empathetic male protagonists - the characters who listen, feel, react

Time of India

16-06-2025

For decades, Bollywood's definition of masculinity was sculpted in the image of the angry young man, the alpha hero, the macho savior who fought for honor, exacted revenge, and seldom shed a tear.
From Amitabh Bachchan's seething intensity in the 1970s to Salman Khan's brawny dominance in the 2000s, Indian cinema has created and celebrated male protagonists who were stoic, emotionally unavailable, and heavily steeped in patriarchy.
But times are changing
A new breed of character is quietly reshaping what it means to be a man on the big screen - one who doesn't shy away from crying, nurtures without condescension, and listens more than they speak.
They don't show aggression to wear the crown of hero; instead, they earn it through empathy, integrity, and respectful masculinity.
These portrayals of male protagonists on the big screen have not just redefined 'hero' in cinema; they are reflecting a significant cultural shift in how society is accepting the new perspective of strength and sensitivity.
Not a sudden shift
The transformation didn't happen overnight. The rising awareness of gender roles, consent, and emotional intelligence has pushed cinema to evolve.
There is no denying the fact that the audience today has always been very accepting and understanding of the flawed, broken characters, but the generation of this era is also vocal about ejecting glorified male entitlement. They are appreciative of the lead male character who can grow emotionally and breaks the stereotypical masculinity trap.
Men who lead by example
Movies like Wake Up Sid or Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na showed us men who care, who know it's fine to express, and it's perfectly okay to bid adios to toxic masculinity on the big screen for being a hero.
Trailer: 'Wake Up Sid'
Here are a few more examples
Rajkummar Rao
Rajkummar Rao has repeatedly played men who are far removed from Bollywood's archetype of hypermasculinity.
One of the perfect examples can be 'Newton,' where his character is idealistic but not naive, stubborn but never disrespectful. He embodies masculinity through a sense of duty and moral courage.
Another of his movies that stands out is Hum Do Humare Do, where he creates a fake family to get the girl he loves. His intention behind the whole fake family is not to deceive the girl; he does that because he understands she values emotional roots.
Vikrant Massey
Vikrant Massey is an unsung hero of Bollywood's new masculinity. In Chhapaak, he plays the role of an acid attack survivor, and his character is written without the male savior trope. Instead of rescuing her, he stands beside her quietly, respectfully, and lovingly.
Even in 12th Fail, his journey is filled with emotions - determination, doubt, failure, and deep reflection.
Ranbir
Kapoor
More recently, his portrayal of a conflicted and toxic alpha male character in 'Animal' fetched him mixed reactions.
However, over the years, Ranbir Kapoor has given Indian cinema characters that are often flawed, but also emotionally transparent.
Be it Rockstar, Tamasha, or Barfi!, his characters were seen struggling with identity and trauma, but not through violence, but through introspection.
Tamasha, in particular, stands out for bringing to light the weight of societal expectations on men and how they are often denied emotional expression.
Ranbir Kapoor's breakdown scene with Deepika Padukone remains one of Bollywood's most poignant depictions of male vulnerability.
The audience also took notice of the wonderful concept and character:
'It's so impressive how well Ranbir can subtly emote inner turmoil. No dialogues or exaggerated expressions, and yet you can instantly connect and feel for him,' wrote a Reddit user, while sharing a soul-stirring scene from the movie.
Below the same post, another user commented - 'I think about Tamasha often.
Ranbir, IMO, does the self-discovery/introspective character/ character in existential crisis/flawed manchild trying to fit in but cannot character trope or genre, the best. I find it very relatable. As we saw by the reception of his films, people do not appreciate it enough, tbh. But all these characters have hit home for me.'
'Subtle performances like this one or the one in Barfi. He just hits it out of the park,' wrote another netizen.
The rise of the equal partner
Another hallmark of the new Bollywood man is how he navigates romantic relationships. He is not possessive or overpowering; he is collaborative and understanding.
Here we can take the example of The Zoya Factor, where Dulquer Salman's character as a cricket captain never tries to undermine
Sonam Kapoor
's character even when her superstition becomes the center of attention.
Another example is 'Dil Dahadakne Do,' where
Zoya Akhtar
crafted a male lead, played by
Farhan Akhtar
, who is supportive of the female protagonist's career choices, even at the cost of social fiction.
It's no more about the red roses or the love ballads; emotional availability is the new romance. Think of The Lunchbox, where Irrfan Khan's Saajan is a lonely man who learns to open up to a connection.
The appreciation, the love that Irrfan Khan garnered from critics and audience alike for 'The Lunchbox' are beyond words. He was given the title of 'national treasure' for a reason!
Irrfan himself knew that his character in 'The Lunchbox' was much more than a regular protagonist.
Thus, as the movie completed two years in 2015, he tweeted - "He wasn't fond of small talk or forced interactions. One day, a stray lunchbox had a conversation with his soul."
In short...
While the tide is turning, regressive portrayals still exist - hypermasculine spectacles like Kabir Singh and Animal prove that the old template hasn't entirely vanished. But the fact that scun potrayals now draw criticism and counter-narrative is progress in itself.
Further, as new-age filmmakers continue to tell stories that mirror the evolving Indian man, one who is not defined by aggression but by empathy, we can hope for a future where masculinity is not a performance but a human experience.