Not Just Bollywood | Jim Sarbh on modern masculinity: ‘I am not afraid of expressing my emotions in a relationship’

Bromances and Romances talks about what does it mean to be a modern man in 2022, and what is it like to date one? What healthy masculinity looks like – fostering community with other men, bromance and dismantling the bro code. Modern masculinity helps men express themselves more freely, be more equal partners in relationships and stay in a more fulfilling way.

Masculinity as a concept is entirely subjective. Take each human being for what they are. Everyone is a blend of many things, but we should consider each human being for what they are as opposed to caging them in societal norms. Actor Jim Sarbh known to be one of the hottest guys in the theatre and OTT space, expressing his views on masculinity  explains that modern masculinity needs to be reframed to be more about being a complete person, than about being any particular kind of man. It blends masculinity and femininity and takes the best (traditionally accepted) notions of both.

Sarbh says, “Let’s move beyond these discrete terms and instead, accept and celebrate variety and diversity. We humans do love a good cage. What masculinity can strive for is being confident and nurturing and gentle and loyal and caring. A person that knows how to grieve and how to praise, can manage his emotions and knows when to stand up for what is right. I don’t believe it when someone says men are less emotional than women. Emotions move beyond the restrictions of gender.”

Personally, Jim Sarbh likes to be slightly more fluid with these concepts. He says, “Even when someone asks me about how I describe myself against common notions of masculinity that people tend to have, I don’t even know where to start. Not because I don’t have opinions, but because I don’t really hold myself to ‘what should be,’ in general. This includes common gender notions. That said, sometimes I exhibit behavior that fits perfectly with common notions of masculinity. And sometimes I don’t. And it’s all just fine. I am unapologetic about this.”

Men and women do not have to stand by the stereotypes set for them and instead they can focus on being a better version of themselves. “I have always felt I am more of a girly man and I am also not afraid to express my emotions whenever required. I also think that it is bizarre how some men find it difficult to say the words ‘I love you’ aloud to their partner. This is exactly what we need to address in order to progress as a society, adds Jim Sarbh.

Modern masculinity to Jim Sarbh simply means self-actualisation. He explains that ideally, it should combine the best traditionally acceptable ideas of both masculinity and femininity. As evolved beings, we should transcend these binary concepts and embrace and promote diversity instead. Being self-assured, kind and caring, as well as having the ability to control their emotions and stand up for what is right, are qualities that matter to me. We should do away with limiting men and women on the basis of their gender.

Mentioning about his association with Bumble’s Dating, he says, “Zoya Akhtar and I had a long chat about what it meant to us. It was superb to have such an intelligent and accomplished persons take on the subject, she is so gorgeously unapologetic about who she is, which makes her such a delight to talk to. Some of the things she said have still stuck with me, particularly about men calling other men out.”

Masculinity is a constantly changing notion, and perhaps the pace of change is only picking up. We define the idea of masculinity. Our understanding of ourselves. So as our understanding grows and deepens, as will all our definitions.

Jim Sarbh says, “Instead of being any one type of male, to me, modern masculinity is about being a whole person or a self-actualised person. When someone asserts that guys are less emotional than women, I don’t buy it. As I said, I’m very fluid in my belief when it comes to the term. Even most of my friends are very confident in themselves be it a more masculine version or a feminine one.”

Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.