Ranbir Kapoor On Portrayal Of "Toxic Masculinity" In Animal: "Characters Got What They Deserved"

Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal is currently streaming on Netflix

Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal, which was released in theatres in December last year and ran to packed houses, has begun to stream on OTT platform Netflix. Sandeep Reddy Vanga's films – Arjun Reddy, Kabir Singh and Animal – have been under the scanner for their portrayal of gender dynamics and violence.  It is no secret that one section of the audience described certain aspects of Animal – which revolves around a strained father-son relationship – as misogynistic and violent. Now, in a promotional chat for Netflix moderated by comedian Anubhav Singh Bassi, actors Ranbir Kapoor, Anil Kapoor and Bobby Deol have discussed the project and also touched upon some of the divisive feedback that the film received. During the conversation when Anubhav shared that many fans also enjoyed the “negative side” of the characters, Ranbir Kapoor seemingly defended the film and said, “There is a very healthy conversation that has started about toxic masculinity also. This is a great thing because cinema -- at least -- it starts a conversation. If something is wrong, if you don't show that it is wrong, and unless conversation starts in the society, we will never realise it.”

Ranbir Kapoor also shared that films about perceived “wrong person[s]” should be made. This, he said, would lead to a larger conversation about the subject. He continued, “So the roles we are playing, those are characters. It is very important that as actors, we have empathy for them because we need to play them. But as an audience, you should decide what's wrong. You can make a film about the wrong person and it should be made. Because if you don't make a film on them, society will never improve.” The actor also opined that the characters in Animal “got what they deserved.”

Bobby Deol, who played the primary antagonist in the film, also had similar thoughts. Agreeing with Ranbir, he said: “Storytelling is the reflection of society. It's showing you what is happening in society and there are so many things we don't want to talk about. We are actors, we are just getting an opportunity to play different characters. That is the fun of being an actor.”