Actor Saurabh Sachdeva, who appeared in a supporting role in the blockbuster film Animal, spoke about director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s clutter-breaking approach to filmmaking and the divisive reactions that the film has drawn. Starring Ranbir Kapoor, Animal has grossed over Rs 900 crore worldwide, and has emerged as the third-biggest Indian film of 2023. But it also attracted criticism for scenes perceived to be belittling towards women.
In an interview, Saurabh said that he doesn’t quite agree with the defence that Ranbir is playing an ‘alpha male’, and admitted that he hasn’t made up his mind about where he stands on the film’s morality. Saurabh, who also operates an acting school, said that he has had several discussions about the film with his students, and finds himself agreeing with both sides of the argument. He did, however, say that any movie that is able to elicit strong reactions from the audience is more admirable than something that doesn’t register at all.
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Speaking with Shubhankar Mishra on YouTube, Saurabh said about the film’s seemingly unusual plotting, “Everybody is talking about Bobby Deol’s limited screen time. I think this is an intelligent way of writing a script. He has broken the conventional three-act structure. The story doesn’t progress, but you still enjoy the scenes. Before the interval, the story doesn’t progress at all. But the experience of watching the film keeps you engaged.”
Addressing the criticism that has been leveled at the film, Saurabh said, “I was having a discussion about alpha males at my office. The women had a certain point-of-view, the men had a certain point-of-view. Even within the men, they had different points-of-view. Sometimes I lean towards one side, sometimes I lean towards another. I haven’t made up my mind, but any art that inspires discussion is good. People say he’s an alpha male, but according to my understanding, an alpha male takes care of his people, he’s a leader. But in Animal, he doesn’t take his father with him, nor his grandfather, nor his wife. Is he struggling with something else? Is he hiding beneath a mask? Of course, he has his history with his father, but who is he? Is he someone pretending to be an alpha male, or is he actually an alpha male?”
Like Vanga’s first Hindi film, Kabir Singh, Animal has proven to be a box office success despite poor reviews. The movie scored a 28% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but made a killing at the box office, emerging as the biggest A-rated film of all time, and the biggest of Ranbir’s career. In several interviews, Vanga expressed bitterness at the film’s harsh reception.
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