Why Are Only Men Offended by ‘Mrs’? They Think It’s ‘Propaganda’ & ‘Toxic Feminism’

Bollywood’s Mrs has sparked an important conversation about patriarchy, the life of most Indian housewives, and the unappreciated domestic labour women do every day. The film has been widely praised for its raw and realistic portrayal of women’s struggles within their own homes. However, while many are applauding its message, some men are not taking it well.

Taking to X, a section of men is calling the film “propaganda” and accusing it of spreading “toxic feminism”. Their arguments? That Mrs is attacking the traditional family structure and that if our mothers and grandmothers had followed the same ideology, families would have fallen apart. Because, of course, a film that simply highlights women’s exhaustion and the imbalance in household responsibilities is apparently a threat to society.

 

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These men insist that they work long hours at their jobs and never complain, but women are now making a fuss over something as ‘simple’ as cooking and cleaning. They fail to acknowledge that while their work ends after office hours, a housewife’s work never really ends. The emotional labour, the mental load of running a household, and the physical exhaustion of catering to everyone’s needs remain invisible.

Have a look at some of the posts here:

Many of these posts also follow a pattern – comparing today’s women to the previous generations.

“Our mothers and grandmothers never complained. They did everything for their families and never expected anything in return,” they argue.

But isn’t that the problem? Women have been conditioned for generations to put their needs last, to silently bear the burden, and to see appreciation as unnecessary. The fact that a film like Mrs is making women question this unfair system is exactly why it’s needed.

Interestingly, the loudest voices against the film are men. Women across social media are sharing their experiences, posting about how they have seen their mothers and grandmothers tirelessly work without appreciation. Yet, it is men who seem to be the most offended by this film.

Films like Mrs and The Great Indian Kitchen are essential because they bring to light issues that are so normalized that people refuse to see them as problems. And if one movie is making so many men defensive, maybe that’s proof that it’s hitting exactly where it should.

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