An Intersectional Critique of It Ends with Us...

An Intersectional Critique of It Ends with Us and Kabir Singh: De-glorifying Toxic Heroism in Popular Culture

Author Name : Ms. Shreya Mani, Dr. Ganga Nand Singh

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56025/IJARESM.2025.1302253776

ABSTRACT The research paper aims to unravel and challenge the toxic ideals portrayed in two highly popular art works of the 21st century: the novel It Ends with Us, written by Colleen Hooverand the Indian film Kabir Singhdirected bySandeep Reddy Vanga. By examining these works, the paper seeks to deconstruct the glorification of harmful behaviors present in both.Apart from being popular hits among their audiences, the movie Kabir Singh and the book It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover share several points of commonality, particularly in their exploration of darker aspects of romantic relationships, highlighting how love can sometimes become intertwined with control, abuse, emotional volatility, physical violence. These works showcase the complexities of human relationships where intense emotions often give way to damaging behaviors, raising questions about the line between passion and harm. Ultimately, both stories have had significant cultural resonance, sparking debates about their portrayal of toxic heroism, love and the potential to romanticize or excuse toxic behavior in relationships. Despite their differences in resolution, both raise important discussions about the normalization of harmful traits in the context of romance.