When male characters took shape from a woman’s perspective, what we got is a bunch of stereotype-breaking masculine characters with whom we fell in love in an instance. These males defied all the clichés that characters of their gender are usually subjected to. They were vulnerable, expressed their feelings, and were very authentic. The way they treat women is yet another highlight of these characters. Here’s a look at some such male characters written by women.

Sunny Gill from Dil Dhadakne Do

Writer/Director: Zoya Akhtar

Sunny Gill from Dil Dhadakne Do is the epitome of an idealistic male character that women will fall for. He is Ayesha and Kabir’s childhood friend and was apparently Ayesha’s teenage boyfriend. Though Ayesha settled for another guy due to peer pressure, Sunny doesn’t whine over it or blame Ayesha for anything. When he sees Ayesha’s husband Manav trying to brag about how he “lets his wife work”, Sunny throws a question that shuts everyone down- “Since when did she need your permission?” Sunny is a male character who doesn’t take pride in the privilege his gender offers. He sees Ayesha not as a submissive woman but as an individual with her own choice, as a person who built a successful business from scratch. If this attitude of Sunny inspires the coming generation of men, the world will be a better place for women, no doubt!

Read: The most loveable male characters in Indian cinema

Arjun from Bangalore Days

Writer/Director: Anjali Menon

There is an alluring charm about Anjali Menon’s men. They are vulnerable, real, trapped in societal conditioning, and desperate to break out. Arjun from Bangalore Days is one such favorite male character written by Anjali Menon. He has a broken childhood; he is carefree and he falls in love with the individual that Sera is.

Dan from October

Writer: Juhi Chaturvedi

What did Dan and Shiuli actually share? How can we define their relationship? The truth is we will never fully know. Dan from October is empathetic for his co-worker for inexplicable reasons. While everyone moved on with their lives forgetting Shiuli, Dan just did not want to quit. We see him being eccentric, being extremely caring, and being his most authentic self. Dan is also Varun Dhawan’s finest performance so far.

Read: The hopeful tale of night-flowering jasmine – October

Sachin Sandhu from Thappad

Writer: Juhi Chaturvedi

Amrita’s father Sachin is the dad we all would love to have. Unlike other parents, he is not disappointed over his daughter’s divorce, rather he is proud of her for choosing herself and walking out of a relationship where respect is no longer served. Sachin Sandhu breaks the taboo surrounding divorced daughters. He treats his daughter not as a commodity but as a grown person capable of making her own choices, capable of living a life of her choice.

Read: Feminist fathers from Indian movies that we all love

Amol from Chhapaak

Writer/Director: Meghna Gulzar

Inspired from the real-life, Amol from Chhapaak sees beyond the looks and physical appearance of a woman. He falls in love with Malti, an acid attack survivor not out of pity, but out of sincere appreciation and respect he has for her.

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