Pakistani host Anoushey Ashraf recently shared her candid thoughts on the controversial Bollywood film Animal, featuring Ranbir Kapoor, in a series of Insta Stories. Known for her honesty and insightful commentary, Ashraf delved into the nuances of the movie, acknowledging its polarizing nature. "He's [Ranbir's] played the neurotic human he's supposed to be to perfection," Ashraf noted, commending Kapoor's portrayal of a complex character. However, she expressed reservations about the film's approach in glorifying the character's “sickness”. Ashraf astutely pointed out that while no one should love the character Ranbir plays, his acting prowess deserves recognition. “Glorifying his sickness is what I had a problem with. But if you're an intelligent viewer (which most people aren't), you will know such cases exist and they're warped souls. No one should love the character Ranbir plays in this movie, but he has my (thumbs up) for the way he has played it.” The film, with its intense themes of violence, gore, and a runtime of 3 hours and 20 minutes, has managed to captivate audiences everywhere – except Pakistan, where people are obviously yet to see it. Ashraf, in her critique, went as far as drawing parallels between its aesthetic execution with Quentin Tarantino films. “There is tons of blood, violence and gore throughout the film but somehow everyone stayed glued to their seats. The violence was executed ‘aesthetically’ somewhat like Quentin Tarantino's bloody films done in Punjabi style perhaps.” Further praising Ranbir, she said, “I personally maintain that Ranbir is a superior actor than all his contemporaries.” However, Ashraf also issued a fair warning to her followers, emphasizing the film's explicit content and its potential to clash with more conservative sensibilities. She advised viewers not to watch it with family members who might be offended by the film's bold choices, echoing the sentiment that Indian cinema often tends to be bolder in its portrayal of sex and language compared to “our relatively modest Pakistani palettes.” “So most certainly, don't watch with kids or parents who'd be offended by your strange choices in life. Else, grab some popcorn and enjoy!" Ashraf concluded. The discussion around Animal has been intense, with critics both praising and condemning the film. Anoushey Ashraf's nuanced take adds a layer of insight into the debate, emphasizing the importance of appreciating Kapoor's acting while critiquing the film's controversial content. Criticism for ‘Animal’ or Reddy Vanga? Back when Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Telugu film, Arjun Reddy, released in theatres, many criticised its leading character Arjun (Vijay Deverakonda) for slapping his girlfriend Preethi (Shalini Pandey) in the film. Instead of toning down the toxic masculinity, Vanga made his film’s Hindi adaptation, Kabir Singh, and retained the scene, drawing an uproar. Four years on, his resistance to criticism and adamance on portraying toxic men on screen seems to have endured, considering Animal, the Kapoor starrer, is being panned as an even more toxic, controversial, gore and problematic film. At this point, he seems to be taking the criticism in his stride and perhaps even riding on the high of the conversations his films have triggered. The headline of a Guardian article about the film reads: “Ranbir Kapoor plays one of the vilest protagonists in cinema history.” Giving it a one-star rating, the review by Phuong Le adds, “Kapoor plays the scion of a wealthy family whose violence is the result of a craving for love and validation, in a regressive Bollywood blockbuster.” An Indie-Wire piece by Proma Khosla on the same also notes, “Men will literally make a 202-minute movie instead of going to therapy.” An excerpt from the article notes, “It’s not that Animal is particularly bad, misguided, or offensive — though it is periodically all of those things — but that it is an overall baffling cinematic experience. It is a movie with a jarring beginning and no discernible end.” ‘Animal’ makes waves Meanwhile, Animal continues to make waves at the box office, surpassing the 1-billion mark in just two days of its release. Despite mixed reviews, the film's commercial success raises questions about the audience's appetite for bold and controversial narratives in Indian cinema. According to The Indian Express, the film minted INR 1.298 billion in just two days of its release. Apart from Ranbir, the film stars Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Rashmika Mandanna and Tripti Dimri in pivotal roles.
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