Ranbir Kapoor on ‘Animal’: Igniting Conversations on Toxic Masculinity | Bollywood News |

Ranbir Kapoor, the acclaimed Bollywood actor, shared insights into his film ‘Animal.’ It centers around a man grappling with a tumultuous relationship with his father, delving into themes of darkness and violence. Despite facing criticism for its violent and misogynistic portrayal, Ranbir believes the film has sparked a crucial and ‘healthy’ conversation about toxic masculinity in society.
As the film released on OTT recently, the actor sat down to spread a word about ‘Animal’ and addressed the conversations about toxic masculinity. Ranbir expressed, “There is a very healthy conversation that has started about toxic masculinity also, which 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 the conversation starts in society, we will never realize it.”
He emphasized the role of cinema in initiating discussions and underlined the importance of portraying flawed characters. “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 it. But as an audience, you should decide what’s wrong. You can make a film on the wrong person and it should be made. Because if you don’t make a film on them, society will never improve,” Ranbir added. Co-star Bobby Deol echoed his sentiments, noting, “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.”

However, not everyone shares this perspective. Javed Akhtar, a veteran screenwriter, expressed concerns about the success of ‘Animal,’ deeming it “dangerous.” At the 9th Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival, he remarked, “The image of a hero should be created with an awareness of what is right and how it should be. Today’s writers need to think because confusion has increased among them.”
Discussing ‘Animal,’ Akhtar highlighted the controversial scenes, stating, “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 the film is a super hit, that’s dangerous.” He emphasized the impact of cinema in shaping societal norms and values.

‘Animal,’ featuring an ensemble cast including Anil Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, and Triptii Dimri, crossed the Rs 900 crore mark worldwide, despite the debates surrounding its content.