The collaboration of Sandeep Reddy Vanga and Ranbir Kapoor delivered one of the biggest films of 2024, Animal. The blockbuster film took the box office by storm but sparked an important debate about its portrayal of violence and toxic masculinity. Among others to criticize the film, the screenwriter was at the forefront and even said that its success is a ‘dangerous’ trend in Hindi cinema. However, he recently clarified that his comments were for the audience watching the film and not for the film itself.
Javed Akhtar sat down with Barkha Dutt on Mojo Story for the cover and revisited his criticism of the Sandeep Reddy Vanga film. Talking about the portrayal of women in cinema, the lyricist pointed out, “Societies do not run in a linear manner. Just as stories have subplots, there are diverse movements in society – some progressive, some regressive. Animals are those is one of the subplots. The key is to identify the main theme that shapes society.”
For those who don’t know, the film was criticized by audiences for portraying problematic themes. As a result, Akhtar was asked why the film was declared a ‘blockbuster’ at the box office, he said, “The title tells you why. The title is self-explanatory.”
Expressing his concern over the increasing popularity of such problematic content, he clarified that his concern was aimed at the audience’s reaction to Animal and that there is no fault of the filmmakers for making films with wrong values and obscene songs. The issue lies in their acceptance by the audience.
Emphasizing his point, he said, “If 15 people in a population of 140 crores are deformed, then it doesn’t matter. When that thing goes in the market and becomes a superhit, then that is the problem.”
Furthermore, he shared his views on accepting obscenity in films; He admitted that such films on problematic subjects had been made before but they did not gain mainstream popularity. However, despite the criticism, Animal was a massive success at the box office and grossed over Rs. Rs 900 crore worldwide. Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, the film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Trupti Dimri, Bobby Deol and Anil Kapoor in important roles.
Also read: Box Office Throwback: Here’s how Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal became the first Indian A-rated film to gross Rs 500 crore
