Okay soo Kabir Singh is out. And the Tamil version will be out very soon. But we Telugus witnessed the OG “Arjun Reddy” in 2017 and believe it or not- the youth out there is still living in that film. A film which opens with a scene where Arjun shows knife demanding to undress.
Arjun Reddy became a “cult”. Every cis-het man from Telugu states idolised him. Aspired/still aspiring to live like him. Like a toxic alcoholic casteist and abuser. Everyone thought this scene was the most romantic scene ever- “This girl is mine and no one should pursue her”
He enters the hostel and calls the girl to meet him as a “senior” Medico in college. And out of nowhere he kisses her. And asks to go back. BGM- ofcourse a romantic music.
Also btw, babu is very talented okay? He is topper in academics. Topper in sports. Best surgeon. The REDDY director of the film trying to say something with this about his teddy hero. He says a two girls can never be friends - but a fat “chic” and a beautiful girl can be friends.
If I go on talking about toxicity and misogyny in the film, I have to put screenshots of every fucking scene here. So coming to very important issue again; The Caste fucks up of Arjun “Reddy”. When the movie released, they came up with template-ALL reddys went on rampage using it
They talk about “inter-caste” marriage here. A caste angle where a “Shetty (OBC)” is shown as dominant denying Reddy. Not the cultural differences and denial because of that- but caste. So half of Telugus assumed Shettys are like setty (Komita/baniya) in Andhra. Yes, it’s real.
Like a every other #MurderofMerit uppercaste assholes in medical colleges he asks if she’s from “Tulu quota” (wtf is tulu quota, Tulu is a fucking language), when they ask if he’s from management quota- he says “17th in KCET, 26th in EAMCET”. Dandalayya topper saami.
And there is a scene where he chases the domestic worker. And ofcourse he can do that as a “Reddy” has all rights to treat people like shit. Hilarious that director plays a “reverse casteism” card in the film.
Coming back to how youth perceived it: Arjun Reddy is a legend. The movie (as it showed weed and bong) is one of a kind and a bold (sex) move ever made! What a screenplay, what a writing. This needs remakes. This needs to be on global level. A box office hit and a game changer.
NOW, I’m gonna mute the hashtag #KabirSinghReview as I can’t go through same anxiety and trauma all over again.If you plan to go watch that shit- remember to prioritise your mental health- it has sexual harassment, abuse, toxic masculinity, heroic misogyny and casteism.All in one
PS: Reminding again, the youth in Telugu states STILL wants to be like Arjun Reddy. And believe that a “lover” should be like him. Don’t come with shit like “a cinema is a cinema”. A CINEMA IS PART OF A CULTURE. And INFLUENCER.
PPS: Like every other hero, he had friends too. Who normalise abuse- actually who romanticise abuse, as they are also at the receiving end of abuse from a toxic friendship. Btw, the duo of actors turned into friendship goals portrayal in other fuckall film called Geeta Govindam.
Addition: I’m sorry there’s so much to say. The fandom of heros in South (especially in Telugu states) is not like that of Bollywood. It is caste-based. It is paid fan-clubs based. People pour milk on cut-outs on 1st week. Cinema is very very big part of the lives of Telugus.
Correction: There is a minority language quota in some medical colleges in Karnataka which includes Tulu. But the people who speak Tulu are Bunts, Mogaveeras, Billavas, Devadiga and Kulala belong to Shudra communities. Yet again, the film used classic “quota” language of merits.
Read this amazing series by @jeegujja on Tuluvaas, coastal Karnataka for a better understanding of castes, culture of Tulunadu
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