By H R Venkatesh
What is meant by healthy masculinity? The underrated Kumbalangi Nights (2019) attempts to answer the question by putting its characters (and the audience) through a series of absurd situations. The end result is a madcap film. It’s funny, absurd, gentle, and moving at the same time.
We’ll get into the when, where, how, and why of it all but for now, here’s the formula for the Kumbalangi Test for healthy masculinity.
To pass the Kumbalangi Test, a film should have a male character:
A) talking to another personB) about any vulnerabilityC) other than anger or victimhood.
It is modelled on the Bechdel Test which helps us understand the lack of representation of women in films.
So why do we need such a test? Why this formulation? And what is meant by 'healthy masculinity' anyway? Also, why should such a test be based on a Malayalam film? And finally, who am I to propose such a test?
For answers to all these questions, find the
.
