Ranbir Kapoor has broken his silence on the backlash surrounding his film Animal, addressing the criticism head-on in a recent appearance on Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, People by WTF. Despite Animal becoming a blockbuster hit upon its release in December last year, it faced significant controversy for its portrayal of masculinity and violence.
The film, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, sparked a fierce debate upon its release, with critics and audiences divided over its themes. Many accused the film of promoting male toxicity, leading to polarized reactions.
In his podcast interview, Kapoor acknowledged the criticism and discussed how social media exacerbated the situation. “Social media played havoc. They needed something to talk about, so they really went to town claiming it was a misogynistic film,” he said. Kapoor noted that the negative tag attached to Animal overshadowed the hard work invested in the film, both by him and the director.
Kapoor revealed that he received disapproval from several industry insiders and audience members. “The general public will speak very fondly about the film, but there are many people I meet who tell me, ‘You shouldn’t have done this film, we are so disappointed in you.’ And a lot of people from the film industry said the same thing,” he explained. Despite his disagreement with the criticism, Kapoor expressed his willingness to listen and improve. “I quietly apologize and say, ‘Sorry I won’t do it next time.’ I don’t really agree with them, but I am in that phase of my life where I don’t argue with anyone. If you don’t like my work, I will say I am sorry and I will try harder next time,” he added.
Kapoor also discussed his decision to take on the role in Animal, explaining that he wanted to break free from his “good boy” image. “I had always been following a career path where I was doing good roles, trying to give good social messages, playing the ‘good boy’ basically,” he said. “I found this film very bold and adult-rated. I was scared that maybe the audience would not accept me.” Despite the film’s success, Kapoor acknowledged that some viewers found its themes troubling.
When asked if he would choose to do Animal again, Kapoor affirmed that he would. He described the film as an important step in his career, saying it was the right project to elevate his work at that point.
Animal continues to be a topic of discussion among fans and industry professionals, even months after its release. The film, which stars Kapoor as Rannvijay Singh—a man seeking revenge after an assassination attempt on his father—also features Bobby Deol, Rashmika Mandanna, Triptii Dimri, and Anil Kapoor in key roles. A sequel, Animal Park, is already in development.
Sources By Agencies
