'Animal' Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga Emphasizes On Bold Female Characters In His Films, Says It's 'Not Deliberate'

Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga is enjoying the success of the blockbuster he's made -- 'Animal.' Even though the film has received mixed reactions from critics and audiences for glorifying toxic masculinity and violence and portraying misogyny, it's doing exceptionally well at the global box office. In an interview recently, the filmmaker spoke about the dynamic shared between the film’s lead characters – Ranvijay (Ranbir Kapoor) and Geetanjali (Rashmika Mandanna) – and how women in his films are fierce and bold.

During a conversation with Galatta Plus, the director spoke about how the female characters in his films are moulded.  Speaking about how it's the women who initiate sexual scenes in his films, Sandeep said, “I never thought this. This is not deliberate. I didn’t deliberately put the approach. See what discussion they had in the flight, other than you know, ‘Don’t talk about my father like that. What do you mean? You know my father’s is a great father.’ With that line I wanted to show that this is a shift of discussion. Hardly they spoke about anything and now you see there’s a big argument happening. I thought that would be nice dramatic quotient.”

The filmmaker went on to give references of people in the US and how their lifestyle is different from ours. He talked about how many women prefer staying in the West because there is more independence in comparison to India. He said, “When you come in a house and stay with the in-laws, it is not the same because women are very independent in US, especially Indian women. If you ask any of them, they don’t want to come to India because they feel in US, there is a much independent space. In the film, it’s a palace they live in. I feel everything is in control. About the sleeping on the lap thing, I feel in the film the way Rashmika was calling him, I felt like she was calling a kid.”

The director also admitted straightforward that Ranvijay's character is controlled by his wife, Geetanjali. He claimed that he has hinted at this dynamic in multiple scenes throughout the movie.

On the other hand, in a conversation with Puja Talwar, 'Animal' supporting actress Triptii Dimri talked about her experience of working alongside Rashmika Mandanna. She praised the actress and revealed that she was extremely warm and welcoming. She mentioned, “Usually when there are two heroines in the film, there is always that energy. There was nothing; she was just so brilliant. She came to me, and she gave me a hug, and she was like, come sit with us. She could also see that I was awkward a little (laughs), but she just made me feel welcomed. I think that is such a beautiful quality to have.” 

Since its release on December 1, 'Animal' has become a money-minting machine and has globally earned more than Rs 800 crores.