Ranbir Kapoor's 'Animal': Congress MP says justification of violence, misogyny in movie is 'shameful'

Though Ranbir Kapoor's Animal, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, is topping the charts and has already earned more than Rs 360 crore at the box office, the film is also facing criticism for showing extreme violence and promoting toxic masculinity. The debate has now reached the parliament. On Friday, Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan expressed concern about the film and lambasted the makers for its “justification of violence and misogyny". 

“My daughter and a bunch of other children were watching the film. They cried and left the theatre at halftime. The film's justification of violence and misogyny is shameful," Ranjan said in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Ranjan further said: "Cinema is a mirror of society. We have grown up watching it, if you start from Kabir to Pushpa and now a picture is going on 'Animal'. I won't be able to tell you that my daughter had so many girls with her who were in college. Studying in the second year. She cried in half the picture and got up from the hall and left."

She added: "After all, so much violence, so much violence and molestation of women. I don't like showing such things in pictures. Look at 'Kabir Singh', how he treats his wife, people, and society and pictures are also showing him justifying. This is a very thought-provoking topic. These pictures, this violence, in presenting these negative roles, have an impact on our 11th and 12th standard children nowadays. They have started considering it as a role model. Because we are seeing it in pictures, we are seeing this kind of violence in the society too." 

She further said that 'Animal' has hurt religious sentiments by using the Punjabi war anthem 'Arjan Valley’ for a family feud that led to violence. 

"As far as Arjan Valley is concerned, Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh Force, who fought against the Mughals, against the British, to stop their growing power, his son was Arjan Singh Nalwa. He saved many Muslims from Pakistan's Guzara in 1947. This high-quality history has been shown wrongly in this picture. This also hurts the religious faith."

Box office collection

'Animal' is doing phenomenal business and one of the much-awaited movies of 2023. Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, the film is heading towards earning Rs 400 crore within India. 

On Day 7, 'Animal' earned Rs 24.23 crore in India. Day 8 early estimates suggest that the film minted Rs 23.50 crore. The total collection of the film now stands at Rs 361.08 crore. Meanwhile, 'Animal' had an overall 29.41 per cent occupancy in theatres. Animal has collected a staggering Rs 563 crore worldwide.

The film also features Anil Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Tripti Dimri and Bobby Deol in significant roles.

The movie has become the second-fastest film to gross Rs 300 crore. Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan holds the top spot by crossing the Rs 300 crore mark in just 5 days. Animal shares the second-place position with Pathaan, which also took six days to reach the Rs 300-crore mark.

Also read: 'Animal' box office collection day 8: Ranbir Kapoor-starrer still going strong, inches closer to Rs 400 crore in India

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