New Delhi: While Ranbir Kapoor’s film “Animal” is enjoying success at the box office, it has faced criticism for its portrayal of toxic masculinity, misogyny, and excessive violence. Responding to the growing controversy, actress Saloni Batra, who played Ranbir Kapoor’s onscreen sister, shared her perspective in a recent interview with DNA.
Batra emphasized her role as a facilitator in bringing the creators’ vision to life, acknowledging that the character she portrayed was toxic. She defended the film as the director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s artistic expression and clarified that it’s the audience’s responsibility to discern between entertainment and reality. Batra stated, “As an audience, it is our responsibility to watch and decide what is right and wrong. If that character is firing a gun in the college, it doesn’t mean it’s right.”
Addressing concerns about the film’s portrayal of offensive behavior towards women, Batra remarked that the director is not acting as a teacher but an entertainer. She admitted that, personally, she would be offended if someone treated her that way in real life, but she stressed that the film depicts a specific story about such characters, and the audience shouldn’t take those actions as a lesson.
Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, known for “Arjun Reddy,” “Animal” features a star-studded cast, including Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, and Triptii Dimri. The film was released on December 1.
