Repeatedly, the director of ‘Arjun Reddy’ assembles a gathering of toxic men indulging in a sense of entitlement.
New Delhi: Whether embraced or criticized, filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga has undeniably carved a niche for himself in the film industry. From ‘Arjun Reddy’ and ‘Kabir Singh’ to ‘Animal’, the central characters exude traits of rebellion, toxicity, violence, and misogyny.
The recently released ‘Animal’, starring Ranbir Kapoor as ‘Ranvijay Singh,’ showcases a staggering portrayal of obsessive behavior in the pursuit of his father’s adversaries. This reinforces the ‘alpha male’ image, likely to stir discomfort among feminists. Conversely, the character ‘Geetanjali,’ portrayed by Rashmika Mandanna, is depicted as submissive and taciturn.
The film features Ranvijay complimenting Geetanjali for her ‘wide pelvis, suitable for healthy babies.’ From overt violence to mansplaining and infidelity, Sandeep Reddy Vanga effectively molds his ‘alpha male’ characters into nothing short of a woman’s nightmare.
In an interview with CNN-News18, Vanga addressed the controversy surrounding ‘Kabir Singh,’ stating, “I didn’t think much about it. I don’t think that Kabir Singh was a misogynistic film. Only four or five people felt offended and created noise about it. I never took them seriously.” Dismissing the criticism, he added, “Not more than 20 people in total, it was their point-of-view. We should not talk about all that, forget about Kabir Singh.”
Released in 2019, ‘Kabir Singh,’ featuring Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani, achieved significant box office success but faced criticism for its portrayal and justification of toxic masculinity and misogyny.
Recently, Ranbir Kapoor explained the title ‘Animal,’ stating, “Once you see the film, you will understand.” He further elaborated, “I think the reason why Sandeep Reddy Vanga called this film Animal is because an animal behaves out of instinct. They don’t behave out of thought. So this character that I’m playing behaves out of instinct to protect his family. He is not thinking; he is behaving impulsively, and I think that’s where the title Animal came, and once you see the film, you’ll realize that this film suits this title.”
