Animal review: Sandeep Reddy Vanga serves toxicity, misogyny in violent yet entertaining film, elevated by Ranbir Kapoor

Director: Sandeep Reddy Vanga

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Rashmika Mandanna, Tripti Dimri, Charu Shankar, Shakti Kapoor, Suresh Oberoi, Saurabh Sachdeva, Babloo Prithiveeraj, Saloni Batra

Where to watch: Theatres

Rating: 3 stars

As the show for Animal ended, there were two kinds of people in the theatre. One, who stood up and applauded being very vocal about the ‘masterpiece’ they just watched. The second couldn’t wait to leave the theatre quite visibly disturbed by it. That is Sandeep Reddy Vanga for you. His cinema is so divisive that it is a little bit funny. Animal takes everything that was problematic about Arjun Reddy and Kabir Singh and increases it several notches. It is downright the most violent Hindi film I have seen, and also one of the most inherently toxic and misogynist. The amazing part is that it is still very well made and entertaining, enhanced further by yet another great performance from Ranbir Kapoor.

Animal is the story of Rannvijay (Ranbir), whose only goal in life is to make his father Balbir (Anil Kapoor) proud. But this short-tempered violent ‘alpha male’ often falls short and Balbir, being one of India’s richest men, hardly has time for his wayward son. When Balbir is shot, Rannvijay returns home after years with his wife Geetanjali (Rashmika) and two kids in tow. In complete Michael Corleone style, he takes over the family business and begins a blood-filled saga of vengeance against his father’s attackers, which leads him to the mysterious Abrar (Bobby Deol).

I know Animal will be divisive. Some will love it, some will loathe it. There will be very few in between. It is hard to evaluate a Sandeep Reddy Vanga film. They are technically well made, well shot, well scored, and great to watch. But the messaging remains very toxic and problematic. Animal is no different. In parts, it looks like Vanga is answering his critics for the problems they pointed out in Arjun Reddy and Kabir Singh. Scratch that, he is often mocking them, recreating some scenes and even heightening some situations that many had criticised.

If you felt Kabir Singh was pushing it with misogyny, wait till you get a load of Animal. The film does everything from reducing women to bystanders to totally romanticising infidelity. Without context, there is a whole tender romantic song in the film centred on what is essentially an illicit relationship. It justifies abuse, even glorifies it, and at times, projecs the protagonist’s problematic views as some sort of evolved pragmatism.

But it is all neatly packaged in a very slick, stylised, and brilliantly edited film. The editing is extremely good and the pacing quick, at least in the first half. Some of the action sequences are choreographed very well with the mass moments scored perfectly. In fact, the 203 minute duration does not seem so bad if you can stomach the violence and gore in it. And yes, there is a lot of that going around. I haven't seen so much blood displayed so brazenly in a Bollywood film. So be prepared to stomach all that.

Ranbir Kapoor is amazing, carrying the film on his shoulders. His acting and Vanga's gaze put this unlikable, toxic protagonist on a pedestal. And Ranbir does a great job in making him feel like the hero. As the titular character, the film’s arc focusses only on him and despite that intense amount of spotlight, Ranbir never wavers, bringing to life this ‘superhero of incels’ and even making his appealing.

Sadly, every other character os reduced to second fiddle. Rashmika Mandanna struggles to own the scenes. While the trailer did a great disservice to her by putting out her worst scenes and she does fare better in the film, she isn’t exactly very watchable.  The less screen time of Bobby Deol and Tripti Dimri rankles because they don't get to showcase their range fully. Bobby, in particular, had a chance to bring to us a great villain, but we hardly get to see him on screen for the villain to really have an impact. Anil Kapoor is good but does not truly leave an impact.

The first half truly leaves an impact. It is cleverly written and even more impressively edited so full marks to Vanga for that. The background score and songs – particularly Arjan Vailly – truly elevate the viewing experience. Yes, the Gatling gun sequences looks better in the theatre and yes, it would have probably been a better idea to not reveal it in the trailer. It would have been better to experience it for the first time in the theatre. But the film tapers off in the second half, becoming so convoluted and long drawn with several scenes dragging out for much longer than they should. The neatly packaged film begins to come apart at the seams at times.

But regardless of all that, Animal is what I call a review-proof film. Those who want to watch it, will regardless of what people say. But to those interested, I have just one advice - don't go for messaging, go for entertainment, and you might be able to overlook everything problematic, and even all the blood.