Exploring Love, Lust, and Cinematic Taboos: A Deeper Look at Mahesh Bhatt’s ‘Jism’ (or ‘Body’)
Discussing ‘Body’ and the politics of eroticism and sensuality on screen
Have you ever wondered why certain movies are classified as erotic content? What makes them bold and explore the domain of desire and passion? You’re not alone.
The duality of perception regarding erotic content
Let me share something about the common but somewhat straightforward attitude that most people, regardless of age, have toward movies with explicit content.
Some view these films as stress-relief entertainment, while others dismiss them as absurd and obscene, dismissing their bold and unconventional messages.
I don’t believe this attitude is beneficial, as it lacks a solid foundation. Ultimately, does this ignorance provide any help?
I don’t think so, I view sensuality in cinema as a complex, multifaceted, and not entirely anti-rational artistic expression of the emotion of love. Just like literary fiction in literature, these movies embody deeper truths about being human.
My argument is movies like Body should be recognized for their artistic and philosophical exploration of love, rather than just their explicit content. I’ll prove my point by engaging philosophically with Body, written by Mahesh Bhatt.
Case Study: Body and its Message
The thing with Asian (Indian) cinema back in the 2000s is that it lacks instances of Western culture’s sensuality. At that time, cinema focused more on familial content, and movies like Exotica (1994) were another wavelength for most Asians. Today, such bold content has increased, but Mahesh’s bold inspiration from Body Heat (1981, directed and written by Lawrence Kasdan) is harder to come to terms with.
There is no doubt about the ambiguity of its message, especially its focus on explicitly portraying and promoting love over sex. It’s difficult for a general audience to see it as more than adult material.
Even in the words of the lead female character (Sonia) in the first movie of the franchise, there is a hint of this common perception of lust.
“This body doesn’t know how to love; it only knows the body’s hunger.”
The Unconventional Female Protagonist
Sonia isn’t like a typical Indian protagonist. She is smart, manipulative, and, above all, knows what she wants. Mahesh doesn’t portray her as a naive person influenced by her desire; instead, she is the kind of person who uses that desire for her own sake.
Mahesh challenges the preconceived notion of the female role in society by creating such a strong lead character. Even the way Sonia carries herself and the charisma in her dialogue makes it foolish to consider that she is merely under the influence of sexual intoxication.
Kabir: “So you just used me for money, Sonia? Tell me the truth — after all the beautiful moments we shared, did you ever love me, even for a moment, Sonia?”
Sonia: “The truth is, I never loved you. Kabir, I have never loved anyone. I have only loved myself. Everyone loves themselves.”
Kabir: “But maybe I still love you.”
The Power of Music
When I asked my mother about this film being a part of my top movie list and her thoughts on my liking it and about the philosophical message, she angrily declared it was nothing more than lust. She insisted it’s not love and can’t be the definition of love.
I said, “Mama, the resolution is something else, and its message lies in the lyrics of the songs.”
But she replied, “So, why is there so much ambiguity in the movie’s message and characters’ motivations?”
It’s magic, a spell, intoxication
Forgetting you, where could I go?
— “Magic is Intoxicating”, from The Body (2003).
In Body, Mahesh doesn’t just tell a story through the overt sexuality of the narrative; instead, he, along with his narrative, skillfully uses the songs as a literary device to convey the subtle emotions of his characters and show the audience that Sonia and Kabir are as human as we are. These songs help the audience deepen their understanding of the characters’ inner lives.
This usage of a song as a literary device isn’t just specific to his story; it’s a part of Indian cinema culture. In his other works, such as Raaz (or Secret), Mahesh offers insights into the intense delights of probing against social barriers:
I began to descend from the body to the soul,
I have fallen in love with you to this extent,
In your love, I began to blossom,
I began to fall apart in your arms
— “In your love, I began to blossom”, from The Secret (2002).
Both songs convey nuanced feelings that might not be apparent through dialogue alone. The first song shows the intensity of the protagonist’s emotions, transcending physical desire. The second captures the intoxicating nature of love, adding existential dimensions to it.
The Deeper Purpose of ‘Body’
The brilliance of Bhatt’s Body lies beyond its provocative scenes. It’s much more than that.
It’s something more profound: his intent in showing that the purpose of such content is more than just bodily desire, similar to how Lust Stories on Netflix, in Kajol’s words, aims to normalize women’s sexuality¹.
It aims to eliminate the stigma of discussing desire solely as a fleeting, temporary need, and instead, frames it as a yearning for a deeper connection.
What is this body,
It’s just the cover of the soul
— “What is this body”, from The Body 2 (2012).
The Ambiguity of the Ending
I think the most philosophical aspect of this film is its ending. The ambiguity is reminiscent of its original Body Heat. We never know until the end if Sonia ever truly loved Kabir. However, the narrative leans towards the idea that she is manipulating, even knowing that she can no longer manipulate him.
When he confronts her and tells her that he is going to confess his crime to the police, she becomes much more defensive and threatens to kill him. He remains unbothered, and as he leaves, she fires a shot but does not follow through with a second one. This leads Kabir to reflect on Sonia’s earlier words:
Kabir: "Do you love me a lot?"
Sonia: "Yes."
Kabir: "That's why you couldn't fire the second bullet. But this body doesn’t know how to love, it knows only desire, the body’s hunger. What is the meaning of this body if there is no love in it? What is the meaning of its existence or non-existence? It doesn't matter."
Sonia: "Kabir, I love you."
Sensuality and Love: Philosophical and Psychological Perspectives
- Julius Evola’s Magnetism of Love
Modern research has tried to explain sexual excitement as an effect of hormone intoxication. Some studies have cited this very cause as equal to falling in love. From Julius Evola’s perspective, the writer of ‘The Metaphysics of Sex’, it’s not a valid proportion to determine the experience of love because intoxication can come in many forms.²
If we apply this to Body, if Sonia isn’t under the influence of sexual intoxication as hinted in the song ‘Magic is Intoxicating,’ this would challenge modern research. It then suggests what kind of intoxication she might be experiencing instead.³
For Evola, the intoxication of love is a by-product of something unrelated to primal need; it’s connected to higher, spiritual dimensions of existence — a profound spiritual experience that involves the whole being. He writes:
A man loves a woman not because she is beautiful, desirable, smart, or graceful, and not out of pure lust. All these explanations explain nothing. He loves because he loves, beyond any logic — this is a sign of the ‘magnetism’ of love³.
2. Bertrand Russell’s Sexual Philosophy
Russell doesn’t view emotions like love or sexual desire as harmful or immature. He regards them as a crucial aspect of human life. While these emotions are common, Russell suggests that their artistic expression is relatively rare, but not the emotion itself (at least in Europe).⁴
Love is anti-rational. It isn’t something to be considered as only a necessity for bringing more life into this world. It’s something that is deeply linked with our emotional and psychological well-being.
In Marriage and Morals, he states that,
‘Sex intercourse divorced from love is incapable of bringing any profound satisfaction to instinct. I am not saying that it should never occur… What I am saying is that sex intercourse apart experimentation with a view to love.’⁴
(Russell, Bertrand, 2009 p. 67)
This could help in understanding the ambiguity of Body’s ending. Sonia’s attempt at saying I love you at that moment could be a last attempt to regain control over the power dynamic. Russell’s idea that sex without love fails to satisfy our deeper needs might suggest that her earlier manipulations were unfulfilling. Her acceptance, “Kabir, I love you,” could be taken as a last-ditch effort to establish a connection that transcends mere physical attraction, hinting at the need for deeper emotional fulfillment.
3. Alfred Adler’s Individual Psychology
While there is no doubt about the overt ambiguity in explicit movies, my mother’s and others’ negative perceptions are doubtless on point. Such movies often reduce love to mere physical desire, with bold scenes overshadowing the deeper emotional and psychological dimensions.
Alfred Adler’s Individual Psychology offers a compelling perspective. This is somehow in line with Evola and Russell. Adler believed that love and sex are deeply interconnected with an individual’s search for purpose and self-fulfillment to help him overcome his inferiority complex.⁵
He believes that true love isn’t just about physical attraction but is connected to one’s personal growth. This justifies Kabir’s philosophical pondering at the end, which critiques how an overemphasis on the body often simplifies the profound nature of love.
The relevance of erotic movies today
The understanding I wish to convey is that we have a separate hub consisting of a large number of 4K videos. What is the purpose and need for a writer to create a story like Body?
Are conventional 4K films not sufficient, or are they less open to out-of-the-box ideas and less visually demanding?
I believe Body is far more than just an erotic film. By deep diving into the philosophical perspectives of Alfred Adler, Julius Evola, and Bertrand Russell, we can see how Mahesh Bhatt, while taking inspiration from Body Heat, crafts deep, universal themes — challenging the reductionist view that sex is merely about bodily desire. The film’s use of music further enriches its narrative.
Hence, it’s a work of art that uses sensuality as a means to explore broader human experiences.
[1] Madhumanti Pait Chowdhury (Jun 28, 2023). Kajol On Portrayal Of Lust By Bollywood: “People Believe In Multiple Soulmates These Days” Kajol On Portrayal Of Lust By Bollywood: “People Believe In Multiple Soulmates These Days” (ndtv.com)
[2] Evola, Julius. The Metaphysics of Sex. New York: Inner Traditions Intertainment, 1983.
[3] Dmitry Moiseev (Dec 17, 2023). Julius Evola on the Magnetism of Love Julius Evola on the Magnetism of Love — Arktos
[4] Russell, Bertrand. Marriage and Morals. London: Routledge Classics, 2009.
[5] Riley Hoffman (Jan 24, 2024). Alfred Adler’s Theory of Individual Psychology and Personality Alfred Adler Theory Of Individual Psychology & Personality (simplypsychology.org)
