Why Dhruv Rathee is trending on X/Twitter
Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal, starring Ranbir Kapoor, sparked a divide: Some lauded its raw emotion, while others dissected its perceived toxicity. Joining the discourse was YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, who recently reviewed the film. In his video, Rathee discussed the "shocking effects of the movie," triggering a backlash from Reddy Vanga's supporters. They swarmed X (formerly Twitter), trolling Rathee and fueling a social media storm.
Why does this story matter?
Reddy Vanga's Animal—his second Hindi film after 2019's controversial Kabir Singh—is reigning at the Indian box office with over Rs. 430cr in earnings. At the same time, the film is grappling with criticism for its portrayal of violence and "promotion of toxic masculinity." Much like its predecessor, Animal sparked debate over societal issues, pointing at the filmmaker's knack for stirring controversial conversations in Bollywood.
Rathee labeled films like 'Animal' 'cancer for society'
In his review, Rathee dissected the powerful role of movies in shaping people's attitudes. He uncovered the alarming effects of films like Animal—shedding light on their concerning normalization of aggression in Indian culture. Rathee also took issue with Reddy Vanga's statement where he mentioned, "When you're deeply in love...if you don't have the liberty of slapping each other, then I don't see anything there."
'Animal' supporters slammed Rathee's review
The backlash against Rathee ensued, with one user pointing out the YouTuber's apparent hypocrisy. "According to Duggal saab Animal can have a bad impact on our society but Gangs of Wasseypur is the most important film." Another user stated, "#DhruvRathee epitomizes manipulation, skillfully contorting situations to align with his own agenda, in his recent #YouTube video on #AnimalMovie."
Take a look at a user's post here
Some netizens asserted film did attract toxicity, validate negative traits
Meanwhile, certain users rallied in support of Rathee—asserting that he uncovered the nature of Kapoor/Reddy Vanga fans and those who enjoyed Animal. One user asserted, "He says that only toxic people are attracted toward this film...they tend to find their validation in it." Another stated, "I'm so glad that Rathee is using his platform to enlighten people and expose psychopaths like Reddy Vanga."
