Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga found himself embroiled in a fiery exchange with a contestant on Indian Idol 15 after she criticized certain scenes in his 2023 film, Animal. The heated discussion, captured in a now-viral video, took place during a special episode where Vanga appeared as a guest.
The debate began when contestant Myscmme Bosu praised Animal but revealed that her co-contestant, Manasi, did not enjoy the film. Manasi voiced her concerns, pointing to a controversial scene where, according to her, “the actress is asked to lick the actor’s shoe.” Vanga immediately countered, stating:
“But that didn’t actually happen in the scene. You have an issue with the ‘joota chaato’ scene, but you don’t have a problem with the hero killing 300 people?”
Manasi further backed her viewpoint by quoting renowned screenwriter Javed Akhtar, who had previously criticized Animal as “dangerous for society.” Vanga dismissed the criticism, laughingly remarking, “If Javed Ji wasn’t a lyricist or story writer, I’d take his words seriously.”
The contestant also brought up another controversial moment from Vanga’s earlier film, Kabir Singh, questioning the appropriateness of a couple slapping each other in a romantic relationship. Vanga defended the scene, explaining, “It was their love. The point is, don’t watch a film to learn something. Watch it only for entertainment. And remove the ‘woke lens.’ Start watching it normally.”
Here is the video:
Sandeep Reddy Vanga in Indian Idol….
— CineVibes (@CineVibes30) December 9, 2024
Quite a Discussion 👀 #SandeepReddyVanga #AnimalPark #AnimalMovie #RanbirKapoor #Bollywood #RRRMovie pic.twitter.com/Nld8ddhI0i
Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, one of the highest-grossing films of 2023, sparked a national debate. While praised for its intense narrative and performances, it also faced backlash for allegedly glorifying toxic masculinity. Similar criticism had followed his 2019 blockbuster, Kabir Singh.
