Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj shared his thoughts on Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s much-discussed film, ‘Animal’. He admitted to watching the movie but was unsure of his verdict about it. Bhardwaj, in a recent interview, said he ‘hated’ and ‘enjoyed’ the Ranbir Kapoor-led film.
“I have still not made up my mind what to feel about that film, because I enjoyed it, and at the same time I hated it,” he told Firstpost.
However, Bhardwaj, popular for some of the finest Hindi films, like ‘Omkara’, ‘Maqbool’, and ‘Haider’, fails to understand how films like ‘Animal’ still attract huge audiences.
He said, “I think the recent hit film Animal is all what you are saying is all there. And we have a typical hero, too. That’s one of the biggest hits of all time. People still watch and still want that kind of movie. It’s a big surprise that there is a huge audience for that kind of film as well.”
‘Animal’, which was released on December 1, 2023, received a polarising response from the audience. Even people in the film industry were divided in their opinions on the film.
Actor-lyricist Swanand Kirkire spoke about several problematic aspects of Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Animal’. He criticised the film for depicting themes like sexual abuse, hyper-toxic masculinity, domestic abuse, and excessive violence and gore. He also asserted that the film is taking the future of Indian cinema in a ‘dangerous and scary’ direction.
However, Karan Johar holds a different opinion about ‘Animal’. Speaking at the Forbes India Leadership Awards 2024, he said, “Personally, truly honestly, I saw it as a character film based on a character who was deeply dysfunctional, inherently violent, who had many emotional issues – and I loved the treatment.”
‘Animal’ became a commercial hit upon its release in theatres. The film also featured Anil Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna in pivotal roles. It is streaming on Netflix.
Source Agencies
