Men Without Shirts: Bollywood, Bodybuilding and Masculinities in Pakistan

Year 2020, Issue: 14, 35 - 60, 15.11.2020

Amna Nasir

Abstract

Gujranwala is a city known for its wrestlers. Over the past few years, the traditional wrestling is transforming into an urban phenomenon of bodybuilding; though, the focus on male body has remained the same. Wrestling and bodybuilding are not mere sports in this city but rather an expression of one’s masculinity and dominance. A certain type of Bollywood movie culture, in which the hero is shown as a hyper-masculine, muscular and assertive man, have become very popular among the male audience in Gujranwala. This study aims at investigating the connection between the fast-growing gym culture in Gujranwala and such Bollywood movies, and how the hegemonic masculinity shown in these movies is being interpreted by the male Bollywood audiences in Gujranwala. Through Quota Sampling, and with the sample of a hundred bodybuilders, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted. The corresponding results showed that Bollywood movies were extremely popular in Gujranwala; gym-goers idealised heroes with particular hegemonic body types and behavioural patterns and believed that they inspired them to join gyms.

Keywords

Bollywood movies, bodybuilding, masculinity, men, Pakistan

Üstsüz Erkekler: Pakistan’da Bollywood, Vücut Geliştirme ve Erkeklikler

Abstract

Gujranwala, Pakistan’da güreşçileriyle bilinen bir şehirdir. Son birkaç senedir, geleneksel güreş, vücut geliştirmenin kentlileştirilmiş bir versiyonuna dönüşmeye başlasa da, erkek bedeni üzerindeki odakta bir değişme söz konusu değildir. Güreş ve vücut geliştirme faaliyetleri Gujranwala’da sadece birer spor faaliyeti olmaktan ziyade erkekliğin ve baskınlığın ifade edilmesi için birer araç olarak kullanılmaktadır. Kahramanın hiper maskülen, kaslı ve kendine güvenen erkekler olduğu Bollywood sinema kültüründeki erkeklik tipi Gujranwala’daki erkek izleyici kitlesinde oldukça populerleşmiş durumdadır. Bu çalışma, Gujranwala’da hızlı gelişen spor salonu kültürü ve bahsi geçen Bollywood filmleri arasındaki bağlantıyı ve bu tarz filmlerde sunulan hegemonik erkekliğin Gujranwala’daki erkek izleyiciler tarafından nasıl yorumlandığını araştırmaktır. Yüz vücut geliştiren erkeği kota örnekleme yoluyla dahil ederek bir anket araştırması uygulanmıştır. Araştırmanın sonuçları Bollywood sinemasının Gujranwala’da oldukça popüler olduğunu, vücut geliştiren erkeklerin bu filmlerde sunulan hegemonik bedenler ve davranışlar örüntülerini idealleştirdiğini ve bu erkeklik temsillerinin spor salonlarına kaydolma konusunda erkeklere ilham verdiğini göstermektedir.

Keywords

Bollywood filmleri, vücut geliştirme, erkeklik, erkek, Pakistan

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