'Industry people were disappointed in me for 'Animal': Ranbir Kapoor
Ranbir Kapoor, the lead actor of the contentious blockbuster Animal, recently addressed the film's mixed reception. Despite being his career's biggest hit, Animal faced harsh criticism for its alleged misogyny and violence. The film sparked a heated debate on social media, with notable figures like Javed Akhtar and Swanand Kirkire criticizing its gender politics. In an interview with entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath, Kapoor revealed that many in the film industry expressed disappointment in him for accepting the role.
'We are so disappointed in you...'
Kapoor shared that he often encountered people who expressed their disappointment in him for participating in the Sandeep Reddy Vanga-directed film. "There are many people I meet, who tell me, 'You shouldn't have done this...we are so disappointed in you,'" he said, adding, "And a lot of people from the film industry (said the same thing)." "I quietly apologize...I don't really agree with them, but I am in that phase of my life I don't argue with anyone."
Kapoor discussed social media's role in 'Animal' criticism
Kapoor also acknowledged the significant role social media played in shaping public opinion about Animal. "Social media played havoc. They need something to talk about, so they really went to town claiming it was a misogynistic film." "What happens is that the hard work that you put in...I know the director had made Kabir Singh, which also faced the same thing, the hard work gets diminished. Because it gets this tag, which isn't true, the perception stayed with this film."
He reflected on the career impact of 'Animal'
Despite the film's controversial nature, Kapoor saw it as an opportunity to break free from his "good boy" image. While Animal turned out to be a blockbuster hit, there was a significant portion of viewers who found it misogynistic. However, when asked if he would do the film all over again, Kapoor affirmed that he would. "I was stagnating and hitting a saturation point in my career...Animal was the correct film at the right time to take another step up."
