Muslim Representation: Nationalism in India

Madhavi (2009) has drawn a close link between masculinity and nationalism as she argues that nationalism in India and Hindi cinema is mainly advocated through maleness. An idealised picture of the Hindu male is mostly permeated through Hindi cinema. Madhavi (2009) states that in mainstream popular culture, teleserials on Lord Ram helped establish this idea of the ‘ideal’ male. He was identified as a righteous Hindu man and a warrior thus further attempting to turn the male Hindu into a miniature or icon of Lord Ram.

Closely linked to “renunciate celibacy”, the ideal man is expected to leave behind his family and country for his duty and service to the nation. This notion was put forward by Hindu reformers such as Dayanand Saraswati and Vivekananda in the 19th century who firmly believed that Hindus should know the grandeur of their nation and ideal men should completely devote themselves to the service of the nation.

While Dayanand Saraswati’s definition of manliness is closely related to duty and devotion, Vivekananda’s “Make me a man!” statement advocates the patriotic and nationalist nature of the ideal Hindu male.

Furthermore, along with the renunciation of the home and family as part of the characteristics of a Hindu man, Madhavi (2009) also focuses on Hindu male’s biography is linked to his nation and how the Hindu masculinity is defined by nationalism. Hence, being a man is being a nationalist. To further add up, Balaji and Hughson (2013) argue that masculinity is a celebration of Indian nationalism. They argue that Bollywood presents the nation’s desire to construct a patriotic ideal that is corroborated through the male body.

Get quality help now

WriterBelle

Verified

Proficient in: Duty

4.7 (657)

“ Really polite, and a great writer! Task done as described and better, responded to all my questions promptly too! ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

Taking into Butler’s (1988) Gender Performance, gender is seen as a construction. It is a repetition of acts that helps construct gender identity.

Balaji and Hughson (2013) thus argue that Bollywood actually helps construct this Hindu ‘ideal’. However, the Hindu male is only at the expense of the Muslim Other. They cannot co-exist and it is, in fact, the Hindu nationalistic man who further permeates the ‘Othering’ of the Muslim male. In the same context, Madhavi (2009) while Hindu nationalism is linked to duty and service, “Muslim masculinity is linked to Islam which is seen as an ideology […]”. Islam is not depicted as a faith but an ideology that compels Muslim males to be violent terrorists. The Hindu male is sharply contrasted with the Muslim male who is, in turn, encouraged to destroy and kill in the name of nationalism unlike the Hindu man who works for his country.