Self Love: A Study of Narcissistic Leadership in Film - Othello and Omkara

Abstract

In leadership studies, many authors and writers, basically, use examples of real life heroes both historical and contemporary models, yet the impact of fictional characters is underrated. This interdisciplinary study is one such, which fuses many disciplines, namely psychology, social science, literature and cinema and religion into one; and to understand the impact it can have on people. Narcissistic leadership trait is, therefore, the subject of study. Cinema, both western and eastern, has depicted this element. Shakespeare’s plays have often portrayed this concept. Thus, I take Othello and Omkara, the Indian Shakespearean version and show how each director chose to depict this trait of leadership. Narcissism normally means self-obsession. This complex psychological trait is explained keeping in mind recent published works by many prominent thinkers, both on narcissism as well as on leadership (in other words narcissistic leaders). Yet, Othello or Omkara’s obsession with himself and his prowess and judgment as a leader is under scrutiny. The focus is to study narcissism as a trait in a leader and explore this concept further and how cinema depicted this trait rather than to give a psychological judgment on whether both the leaders in the movie had Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Thus, this study is a fusion of many themes and ideas.