Ranbir Kapoor defends 'Animal' amid backlash: "I don't really agree with them"

Ranbir Kapoor recently addressed the backlash his film 'Animal' faced after its release in December last year. Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, 'Animal' became a blockbuster despite receiving mixed reactions. Critics and audiences were divided over its portrayal of masculinity and violence, with some accusing the film of promoting male toxicity.

Ranbir Kapoor discussed the controversy for the first time during an appearance on Nikhil Kamath's podcast, 'People by WTF'. He suggested that social media played a significant role in the backlash. According to Ranbir, social media users needed something to talk about and labelled the film as misogynistic, which he feels is an unfair tag that overshadowed the hard work put into the project.

"I know the director had made 'Kabir Singh,' which faced similar criticism. The hard work gets diminished because it gets this tag, which isn't true," Ranbir explained. He mentioned that while many people spoke fondly about the film, there were also those who expressed their disappointment directly to him, including members of the film industry. Ranbir's response to such criticism has been to quietly apologize, even though he doesn't agree with it. He said, "If you don't like my work, I will say I am sorry I will try harder next time."

Ranbir shared that his decision to do 'Animal' was partly to break away from his "good boy" image. He had been known for roles that projected positive social messages and a romantic, coming-of-age persona. However, he wanted to take on a more bold and adult-rated role. Despite the risk, 'Animal' did well at the box office and received a lot of love, though a segment of the audience found it misogynistic and wrong.

When asked if he would take on the role again, Ranbir affirmed that he would. He felt that 'Animal' came at the right time in his career, which he felt was hitting a saturation point. The film helped him take his career to a new level. While 'Animal' sparked a fierce debate, Ranbir Kapoor stands by his choice and views the film as a significant and necessary step in his acting journey.