Kumail Nanjiani, Dave Bautista talk about masculinity, men's issues in 'Stuber'

Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani who will be seen in Michael Dowse's 'Stuber', revealed that the film talks about masculinity and men's issues amongst other things.

"I feel like we're in a time where we can talk about masculinity and how it's always been very traditionally defined in a narrow way and how that's led to problems for everyone -- for women and for men," The Hollywood Reported quoted Nanjiani during the Wednesday premiere of the film.

The film sees Bautista in the shoes of an unprincipled cop while Nanjiani plays the total opposite, an honest and moralistic cabbie. Nanjiani described that the film is '"such a dude movie" and so it would be an interesting way of 'talking about issues affecting the world'.

 

He added, "I felt like it would be interesting to try to talk about that stuff in a traditionally very masculine genre. A buddy cop action comedy is such a dude movie, so we thought it would be interesting to talk about dude issues that also affect the whole world, in a traditionally male genre."

Wrestler-turned-actor Bautista added that while people need to be more considerate about toxic masculinity, they should also open their minds to varying things.

"Throughout the film, we're constantly talking about it. Sometimes you don't realize it because we're making you laugh or disguising it with action, but we really do have the discussion throughout the film," he said.

Betty Gilpin who is playing the role of Nanjiani's love interest in the film added that while the film has everything to be qualified as an action movie, it has also discussed men talking about their aggression.

She added, "It still checks all of the boxes of a classic action movie, but it has this secret thread of men talking about their aggression and anger that are no longer helpful or are standing in their way."

She went on to say, "I think that's such an important missing piece that we have right now of men joining the dialogue, and I think Kumail Nanjiani as a person has really stepped up vocally to talk about what men need to change and talk about. And honestly, it's very sexy."

Directed by Dowse and written by Tripper Clancy, the film also stars Iko Uwais, Natalie Morales, Betty Gilpin, Jimmy Tatro, Mira Sorvino, and Karen Gillan.

Produced by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, the film will hit the theatres today.