National Award-winning lyricist and poet Swanand Kirkire has joined the growing list of voices criticizing Animal, the controversial film directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga and starring Ranbir Kapoor. In a candid interview with The Lallantop, Kirkire expressed deep concern over the kind of masculinity the film promotes, and the larger social message it delivers through its widespread popularity.
Swanand Kirkire slams Animal for glorifying ‘toxic masculinity’; says, “After this, Sandeep Reddy Vanga might get angry at me…”
“From Mehboob Khan’s Aurat, Guru Dutt’s Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam to Vikas Bahl’s Queen and Shoojit Sircar’s Piku, these films taught us how to look at women with empathy and respect. They offered a progressive lens,” Kirkire shared. “Hindi cinema was helping men like me, coming from places like Indore, understand what gender equality truly means. Even in Anurag Kashyap’s Dev.D, women were shown as independent beings. And then, someone makes Animal, and we accept it. My issue isn’t with the film being made – it’s with the overwhelming acceptance it received.”
Kirkire’s remarks come in light of the ongoing debate around the portrayal of hyper-masculine and aggressive male protagonists in Hindi cinema. Animal, which released in December 2023, sparked controversy for its depiction of violent, emotionally distant masculinity, while still emerging as a massive box office success. Recalling his experience watching the film, Kirkire noted, “I remember the day I saw the film, I met a girl who had seen it twice. She said, ‘Bobby Deol is so hot.’ What disturbed me was how Sandeep Reddy Vanga rejected all forms of positive masculinity and instead glorified its most toxic form.”
One particular line from the film also drew the poet’s ire. In a scene where Ranbir Kapoor’s character tells his wife that men who fail to become ‘alpha’ turn into poets, Kirkire responded sharply, “I don’t even mind if that’s a perspective. But the film claims that those who couldn’t be alpha males became poets, as if poetry is the last resort of insecure men. And yet, the same film uses poetry and lyrics to turn Rannvijay into an alpha male. In the ‘Arjan Vailly’ song where he’s slaughtering hundreds, it’s not the visuals but the poetry and music that create the thrill. You dismiss poetry in one dialogue but can’t do away with it in your music.” Kirkire also acknowledged the possibility of backlash from the filmmaker: “After this, Sandeep Reddy Vanga might get angry at me again, but that’s okay.”
His remarks shine a light on the conflicting messages the film conveys, especially when it comes to masculinity, violence, and the role of art in storytelling. While Animal continues to enjoy widespread popularity, voices like Kirkire’s urge the audience to look beyond the glamour and question the values such narratives reinforce.
More Pages: Animal Box Office Collection , Animal Movie Review
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