Anurag Kashyap on the backlash for supporting Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal - 'If I have a problem...'

Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal was one of the most talked-about films of 2023 and the biggest hit of lead actor Ranbir Kapoor's career. The film's story divided the internet, with some people calling the film misogynistic while others praised Ranbir's acting. In the midst of all this, it came as a surprise when filmmaker Anurag Kashyap shared a picture with Sandeep and also called him a "mastermind filmmaker." Now, Anurag has said that he was questioned by his friends and daughter, Aaliyah Kashyap, for supporting Animal.

Anurag Kashyap on Sandeep Reddy Vanga

During a conversation with Janice Sequeira, Anurag said that he felt that Vanga was in the same situation as he was in a few years ago, when he was cancelled for making films like Paanch and Dev.D. Anurag feels that if someone has a problem with someone, then that person should talk to them instead of attacking them. This is why he wanted to meet Vanga.

He said, “I am coming from a place where I have been cancelled a lot. I was cancelled for Dev.D, Paanch, Black Friday, and Gangs Of Wasseypur. It is very easy for people to cancel someone but if you have a problem with someone, talk to them instead of attacking them. Instead of accusing, ask questions. So, I met him and shared the (social media) post. He is an honest person.”

Anurag Kashyap on Animal

Speaking about the things he liked about Animal, Anurag said, “The action in Animal was very real. Ranbir Kapoor was very good; the music was great, and some detailing was very good.”

He also applauded the dedication of Vanga to get his over 3-hour-long film released, while Anurag struggled to release his 3-hour-long film Bombay Velvet and had to cut it himself. Anurag said, “But what I liked most about Animal was that a stubborn filmmaker went ahead and made an adult film of 3 hours and 25 minutes. He fought and got it released in cinemas. It takes me straight back to Bombay Velvet. It was almost 3 hours long and I couldn’t fight for it; I was on the back foot. I had to cut it and raid it myself. I learned that being ziddi (stubborn) sometimes as a filmmaker is not a bad thing. If you see the nuances, there can be a lot of things. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything about Animal, I endorse or condone. No. If I have issues, I’ll discuss it with the filmmaker.”

Anurag revealed that his daughter Aaliyah Kashyap ‘hated’ Animal and called out the filmmaker for supporting it. “My daughter called me out; she hated Animal. There were so many people who called me out. My friends called me out. They all came home and asked me 10,000 questions. Leave everything out; what is the name of the movie? It is not called 'Human',” he said.

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