Screening bodies: The Indian male in hindi soap operas

Muscularity has been one of the defining testimonies of masculinity, with visual evidence of being “male enough” arguably enhanced by “gym-toned” bodies. Television's immense reach and impact as a family medium has enabled it to propagate such bodily ideals among the Indian masses, just like cinema. However, scant attention has been paid to the small-screen actors who exemplify that every ordinary person can attain such “ideal bodies”. Based on Stuart Hall's representation theory, this paper looks into the body as an agency that symbolizes self-worth, achievement, and social admiration. Through this study, we answer the defining characteristics of Indian masculinity in Hindi soaps and how the Indian male body, a subject of multiple intersectionalities, seeks signification through muscularity. This study implies purposive sampling to assess the meanings generated around such displays. A metaphorical analysis approach helps investigate how such presentations further the idea of muscularity as integral to masculinity. The study concludes how contemporary television shows portray muscularity as a defining factor of the assertive masculinity of the Indian man.