Sandeep Reddy Vanga Responds to Javed Akhtar’s ‘Animal’ Comment: Criticizes Farhan’s ‘Mirzapur

Javed Akhtar labeled Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s film “Animal” as ‘dangerous.’ In response, the director challenges Akhtar to critique his son, Farhan Akhtar’s work first before passing judgment on his film.

Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga responds to Javed Akhtar’s criticism of his film “Animal,” suggesting Akhtar should first critique his son Farhan Akhtar’s production, “Mirzapur,” which features extensive abusive language. Vanga implies that viewers might feel disgusted after watching “Mirzapur.”

In response to Javed Akhtar’s comments, Sandeep expressed disappointment, stating, “It is very clear that he did not watch the film.” Sandeep emphasized that Akhtar’s critique lacked validity as it was apparent he hadn’t viewed the entire film. Sandeep further questioned the credibility of individuals who criticize art without fully understanding it, suggesting they should evaluate their own surroundings before passing judgment.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga also raised the question of why Javed Akhtar didn’t critique his son, Farhan Akhtar, during the production of “Mirzapur,” a series known for its extensive use of abusive language. Despite not watching the entire series, Sandeep pointed out that the Telugu translation of “Mirzapur” was disturbing. He emphasized the significance of Akhtar scrutinizing his son’s work before making criticisms of others.

“Animal,” directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, has sparked debates since its release. Starring Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor, and Triptii Dimri, the film received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. However, it emerged as one of the highest-grossing films of 2023, earning over ₹900 crore worldwide.

Javed Akhtar criticized the film for promoting misogyny and violence. At the Ajanta Ellora International Film Festival in Aurangabad, he stated, “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.”

Javed Akhtar’s comments were in reference to a controversial scene in “Animal” where Ranbir’s character, Ranvijay, asks Triptii’s character, Zoya, to lick his shoe as a demonstration of her love for him.

Additionally, his remarks about slapping were seemingly directed towards Sandeep’s 2019 film “Kabir Singh,” starring Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani, which garnered criticism for its portrayal of toxic masculinity and normalization of violence against women.

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