Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran has come out in support of Sandeep Reddy Vanga and his film Animal amid a section of social media users criticising the latest release. Starring Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Tripti Dimri, Bobby Deol and Anil Kapoor, the film has constantly been making headlines for its graphic visuals portraying gore and violence. It has also sparked controversy for glorification of misogyny and toxic masculinity.
Some of the dialogues and scenes of the film have not gone down well with the audience who took to social media to share their reviews and slam the makers. Amid the criticism, Prithviraj, who is yet to watch Animal, said in one of his interviews that a filmmaker should have the liberty to show violence for his narrative.
"I haven’t watched Animal yet and so, I can’t comment on it. But because I’m a filmmaker also, I’m of the opinion that as a filmmaker if you think you need to shoot graphic violence to be able to say the story the way you want to say it, you should have the liberty to do it," he told News18.
Defending the violence in Animal as well as in Salaar, the actor-filmmaker further states that artists shouldn’t have to bear any moral responsibility. He added, "The audience has already been told about a film’s certification because it has violence or nudity. Censorship should happen in the exhibition sector to keep a tab on who goes to the theatre and who gets to see it. As an artist, I’ve always believed that we should have the liberty of making what we want to. Who sees the material should be regulated as it is."
Animal, which released on December 1, has collected over Rs 862 crore globally. It is currently facing a tough competition from Shah Rukh Khan's Dunki and Prabhas and Prithviraj's Salaar.
Animal has garnered mixed reviews from the audience and film critics. While some have called it massy, others accused it of reeking of misogyny and unwarranted sexist remarks. The film revolves around a toxic father-son relationship set against the backdrop of crime and the underworld.
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