New Delhi- Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga stays true to his promise of unbridled violence in ‘Animal’, though his toxic male protagonist treading the path of vengeance yet again may not sit well with many.
Much like Kabir Singh and Arjun Reddy, Ranbir Kapoor’s character Ranvijay’s entitlement crosses all moral boundaries as he sets out to shield his father, Balbir Singh, at any cost.
In his excessive drive to ‘protect’, Ranvijay turns into a reckless, gun-toting monster who fires at the slightest inconvenience, wearing his hypermasculinity like a badge of honor.
At its core, ‘Animal’ explores parental influence and upbringing shaping such unhinged behavior. As a child, Ranvijay only craves his father’s love and approval but faces indifference instead, turning his yearning into unrestrained rage.
So while the film tries to justify his grey shades through his backstory, the problem lies in still portraying abuse of power as an assertion of manhood. Such visual glorification of crime to satisfy the male ego is where Vanga faulters again.
For instance, a scene showing Ranbir Kapoor walking out naked as guns fire wildly to celebrate his homecoming seems needlessly excessive, even for an action film aiming to shock.
So while ‘Animal’ will undoubtedly find resonance among the director’s core fanbase, those criticizing the normalization of misogyny and violence against women in Arjun Reddy and Kabir Singh will be left shaking their heads once more.
