November 19 is celebrated as International Men’s Day. The day is significant in raising awareness around men’s health, throwing light on their contributions and accomplishments, and encouraging them to set the right example for society. Actor-dancer Kunwar Amar, who has done projects like ‘Dance India Dance’, ‘D3’, and ‘Naamkaran’, and is currently seen in ‘Anupamaa’, speaks on the occasion.
“I’ve been thinking about this topic a lot lately. It seems like people have been ignoring men’s mental health for a long time. There’s this widespread belief that men don’t have feelings or get stressed out. Since they were little, guys have been told that real men don’t show emotions, cry, or have personal problems. Even in today’s talk about equality, we’re forgetting about how men feel. Sometimes, men make fun of each other for being “weak” if they show their emotions too much. Society has always had these expectations, first making women stay at home and limiting their choices, and now men are feeling pressured. It’s sad that we’re not finding a balance in our society and taking care of each other,” he says.
Women’s Day gets a lot of attention, but Men’s Day doesn’t. “I agree. People still expect men to do their job, make money, take care of their homes, and provide for and protect everyone. They’re judged based on how much they earn. The truth is, it’s really tough to find the love of your life if your bank balance doesn’t meet expectations because, in today’s world, love alone isn’t always enough. It’s a harsh reality. The impact of this is hard to explain, and not everyone gets it because people these days are quick to argue and put you down. Just think about it: a man with good manners and high values, but not a big paycheck, might not be the guy everyone wants in this materialistic world,” he adds.
Women express themselves and also talk about their emotions whereas men do not. Also, for ages, we have been hearing that men don’t cry. “I feel just like men need to have more sensitivity towards women, women also need to have the same for men. All men need is someone to hold them tight, hug them and tell them that we love them and are proud of them, then only we will be able to have love in this world,” he concludes.
