Animal, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, debuted in theaters in December of the previous year. Among the actors in the movie are Suresh Oberoi, Prem Chopra, Triptii Dimri, Anil Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor, and Rashmika Mandanna.One of the highest-grossing Hindi movies of 2023 was Animal. Nonetheless, some viewers and critics have criticized it for its sexist and misogynistic representation of women as well as its gory violence. Numerous well-known people criticized the movie, including RJ Balaji, Taapsee Pannu, Kangana Ranaut, Konkona Sensharma, and Javed Akhtar.
1) Javed Akhtar
Speaking at Aurangabad’s Ajanta Ellora International Film Festival, Javed Akhtar discussed the genres of movies that are popular today. The seasoned screenwriter and songwriter stated, without mentioning Animal, “I believe it’s a testing time for the young filmmakers today as to what kind of characters they want to create that the society will applaud. For instance, if there’s a film in which a man asks a woman to lick his shoe or if a man says it’s okay to slap a woman, and if the film is a super duper hit, then that’s very dangerous.” Javed was alluding to a pivotal moment in the movie Animal, in which Rannvijay (Ranbir Kapoor), the main character, asks his fiancée Zoya (Triptii Dimri) to lick his shoes as a sign of her love for him. The slapping appeared to be a reference to Sandeep’s 2019 movie Kabir Singh, which starred Kiara Advani and Shahid Kapoor.
2) Kangana Ranaut
Kangana Ranaut, replying to a fan, wrote on X, “Paid negativity for my films is overwhelming, I have been fighting hard so far but even audiences are encouraging women beating films where they are treated like sex objects and asked to lick shoes, this is deeply discouraging for someone who has been dedicating her life for woman empowerment films, might shift career in coming years, want to give best years of my life to something worthwhile.”
She added, “The latest trend of films where women are reduced to mere flower on the wall, violently and disgracefully stripped of their dignity and clothes is beyond appalling. Reminds me of the time when I entered films, vulgar item numbers, quick in and out sleazy and dumb roles against older men were prevalent.”
3) Konkona Sensharma
In an ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Konkona Sensharma averred, “I don’t want to see violence just for the sake of it. There has to be a reason why it’s there in the film, because it connects to the character, it connects to the plot or whatever, it has to justify itself. That is one thing. Why is it there? What is the intent of the director? But from what I understand, I may be mistaken, I have not watched Animal because I don’t feel it’s my kind of film.”
“I haven’t really been drawn to it even from the reviews an things. Also, I am aware of his previous work and he stands by that work, the director, where stalking has been glorified, certain violence has been made acceptable in relationships, and that’s not what I stand for. If it’s done very well, I don’t mind watching it. But that’s not what I have heard,” she stated.
4) Taapsee Pannu
Taapsee Pannu stated that she hadn’t seen the movie in an interview with Raj Shamani on his YouTube channel. She said, “Lot of people told me too much about it (Animal). Look, I am not an extremist, so I agree to disagree to a lot of people… don’t compare it to Hollywood and say ‘If you liked Gone Girl, how can you not like Animal’? You are catering to a different audience.”
The actor continued, “In Hollywood, people don’t start copying actors’ hairstyles from movies or using a film’s line in real life. They also don’t start stalking women after seeing it in a movie. But all this happens in our country. This is our reality. You cannot compare our film industries with Hollywood and say ‘Why are these pseudos talking like this about Animal, when they can enjoy Gone Girl as an art’? Understand the difference…I wouldn’t do it (Animal) is what I am saying.”
5) RJ Balaji
Actor RJ Balaji in conversation with Indiaglitz said, “I know everyone likes to say ‘watch the movie like a movie and treat it as a craft’ but it stuck with me that a set of people locked in a theatre were enjoying a guy mistreat women and hurl abuses at them. I feel bad that the audience are enjoying such films. I don’t think it’s normal to react to such scenes with enjoyment.”
He further added, “I don’t want to watch and get influenced to keep similar scenes. I heard there is a scene where he asks another actor to lick his shoe. I believe youngsters who watch the film will think it’s okay to treat women in this manner. I don’t want my films to add to that.”
6) Shah Rukh Khan
The actor avoided giving a direct description or name for the movie. Shah Rukh Khan had stated, at a News18 event, “I am a guy who is hopeful and tells happy stories. The heroes I play do good things, they give hope and happiness. If I play a bad guy, I make sure he suffers a lot, he dies a dog’s death, because I believe goodness begets goodness. And I believe badness deserves a kick in the back side.”
He added, “I should play honest roles that give people courage to dream. I should keep working hard quietly with the hope that life doesn’t topple my apple cart anytime soon.”
7) Swanand Kirkire
He wrote on X, “After watching the movie Animal, I really felt pity for the women of today’s generation. Now, a new man has been prepared for you, who is more scary, who does not respect you that much and who aims to subdue you, suppress you and feels proud of himself. When you, the girls of today’s generation, were sitting in that cinema hall and applauding Rashmika getting beaten, I in my mind paid homage to every idea of equality. I have come home desperate, dejected and weak!”
