Congress MP lashes out at 'Animal' film for promoting violence and misogyny

The controversy surrounding the recently released film "Animal," starring Ranbir Kapoor, has made its way to the Rajya Sabha, as Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan from Chhattisgarh expressed concerns over the movie's alleged misogynistic undertones and portrayal of violence. Ranjan labelled the film's justification of these elements as "shameful." The film, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, premiered on December 1 and garnered mixed reviews from audiences, with critics largely criticizing its content.

Addressing the Rajya Sabha, Ranjeet Ranjan emphasized the significant influence of cinema on society, especially among the youth. "Cinema is considered a mirror of society. We have grown up watching movies and they have an impact on society, especially in the lives of young people. Nowadays, some movies are being made that depict a lot of violence. Recently, there was a movie called 'Animal.' I cannot tell you that my daughter and many other girls studying in college with her walked out of the hall in tears after watching half of the movie", the Congress leader claimed.

The critique extended beyond thematic concerns to include objections to a song in the film titled 'Arjan Vailly.' Ranjan highlighted that Arjan Vailly was a notable figure in Sikh history, known for his bravery and being the son of Sikh military commander Hari Singh Nalwa from the 19th century. The use of the song to depict gang warfare in the film was deemed offensive to the Sikh community.

In addition to addressing the content, Ranjan questioned the Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) for approving the film's release and sought clarification on the criteria used by the board for endorsing such movies. She went on to assert that films of this nature were akin to a "disease" within society.

की कई ऐसी फ़िल्में हैं जिन्होंने मुझे सिखाया कि स्त्री ,उसके अधिकार उसकी स्वायत्तता की इज़्ज़त कैसे की जानी चाहिये और सबकुछ समझ बूझ कर भी सदियों पुरानी इस सोच में अब भी कितनी कमियाँ हैं . पता नहीं सफल हुआ या नहीं पर लगातार अपने आप को सुधार ने की कोशिश आज भी कर रहा हूँ ।

— Swanand Kirkire (@swanandkirkire) December 2, 2023

Earlier Swanand Kirkire, a Bollywood lyricist and poet had blasted the makers of Animal on X. He said,"After watching the movie 'Animal' today, I genuinely felt compassion for the women of today's generation. Another new kind of man has been created for you, who is even more frightening, doesn't respect you at all, and considers his effort to subjugate, oppress, and take pride in it as his endeavor."

"I have learned a lot from films like Shantaram's - 'Aurat,' Gurudutt's - 'Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam,' Hrishikesh Mukherjee's - 'Anupama,' Shyam Benegal's - 'Ankur' and 'Bhumika,' Ketan Mehta's - 'Mirch Masala,' Sudhir Mishra's - 'Main Zinda Hoon,' Gauri Shinde's - 'English Vinglish,' Bahl's - 'Queen,' Sujeet Sarkar's - 'Piku,' and others in Hindi cinema. These films taught me how a woman, her rights, and her autonomy should be respected. Despite understanding and addressing these issues consciously, there are still many shortcomings in this centuries-old mindset. I don't know if I have succeeded or not, but I continue to strive to improve myself consistently. Thanks to all of cinema", he added.