Animal Movie Review: Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Well-Crafted and Thought-Provoking Film
Stars: Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandana, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Shakti Kapoor, Tripti Dimri
Director: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Where We Watched: In Theaters
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 4/5 (four stars)
The most awaited movie Animal by Sandeep Reddy Vanga released in theaters today and received an extraordinary response from the audiences. After showing the story of an obsessive lover in the superhit film Kabir Singh Sandeep Reddy Vanga, we have brought the story of an obsessed son. This larger-than-life revenge-based tale is full of violence, bloodshed, and action. Sandeep Reddy Vanga has made two films in his career. Technically it is the same film. The most special thing about Vanga is that he says whatever he wants. Irrespective of society and idealism. He is afraid of being spoiled by critics because of the fear of spoiling his ‘own’ performance from the audience. Don’t shy away from speaking about honesty. You have to give them points for that honesty. Because in the current times in India, hardly any filmmaker expresses his views in such a raw and authentic manner. But while watching his films, you also feel that he is not learning from his past mistakes.
Unfortunately, men have more control in this world. This comes out in a dialogue in Animal. You will find colors of this masculinist thinking in every corner of Animal’s canvas. Which become violent, bloody, vulgar, and at times obscene. You saw the same thing in director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s previous film Kabir Singh. There was a love story of a young man studying medicine, crossing all limits of passion. The story in Animal is about a son who can do anything to get his father’s love. At this stage, there seems to be something special in Animal’s story. It has been shown in hundreds of films that an industrialist or a working father is so busy that he does not even have time to talk to his son. But the path that the hero of this film takes forward makes Animal different.
Animal Movie Review: The Story Plot
Delhi-based steel businessman Balbir Singh (Anil Kapoor) is very busy with work. His son Ranvijay (Ranbir Kapoor) considers his father as his hero. He feels that the burden of domestic responsibilities is on him after his father. When elder sister Reet (Saloni Batra) gets harassed in college, he reaches the college with a gun. Angry with this incident, his father sends him to a boarding school. On his return, he marries his school classmate Geetanjali (Rashmika Mandanna) in a dramatic sequence. Geetanjali and Ranbir’s younger sister Roop (Anshul Chauhan) are friends. Ranbir does not get along with his brother-in-law Varun (Siddharth Karnik). The news of the country’s richest businessman Balbir getting shot makes headlines in the media. (No police come here nor does any investigation take place). After learning about the incident, Ranvijay returns home with his wife and two children after eight years.
He starts searching for his father’s attackers. He also includes his cousins living in the village with him. While killing his father’s enemy, he gets shot six times. He survives but loses his hearing. After that, there is a twist in the story. Since childhood, this thing has been ingrained in his mind that his father did not love him in his way. But he will not let his father miss his son’s love. Once Balbir Singh is attacked. After this, Vijay creates a massacre in the name of his father’s safety. This is the basic story of this film. This is shown through a lot of violence, irrational love, obsession, honesty, and misogyny. The heroes of Vanga’s films are emotionally unstable. The good thing is that he has been called out in this film. The way the audience looks at Vijay with astonished eyes. For example, there is a scene in the film when Balbir Singh looks at his son with fearful eyes. He has realized that his son is a criminal. Is mentally disturbed. For this, he considers himself the biggest culprit. But does not accept. Because this will hurt his masculinity.
Animal Movie Review and Analysis
Animal, a revenge tale, has a family drama woven into it. This story does not unfold straight away. Sometimes there is a flashback and sometimes it moves forward emerging from the layers. In such a situation, confusion arises in the mind of the viewer, but ultimately all the answers come out. The film contains adult jokes, adult talk, and adult scenes along with extreme violence. There are some anti-women things. Which many people will directly dislike? It is at this juncture that it comes to light that unfortunately, men have more control in this world. Vanga does not try to change this he seems to be provoking it. Because of all these things, one feels that there is no delicacy or emotion in the film. While the truth is that Ranbir’s character will never be found thinking with his mind, he is constantly flowing with emotions!
Certainly, you will not agree 100% with the content of Animal. But the film captivates. Entertains. It was shot beautifully. Here you will find the story, which is missing in Bollywood films. No cheap or formulaic Bollywood drama here. The background music of the film is good. The action scenes are amazing. Seeing Ranbir Kapoor and Bobby Deol shirtless, it seems that Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan should stop taking off their shirts on screen. Bobby Deol plays a small but effective role in the film. You can say the same thing for Tripti Dimri. That’s a small packet, a big bang. Anil Kapoor is frozen. Rashmika is the weak link in the film. Especially his dialogue delivery.
The animal scenes are meticulously crafted. This workmanship is special, especially in action scenes. Which includes guns, machine guns, knives, and hand-to-hand fighting. Vanga’s entire emphasis is on violent scenes and bloody matters. In many of his dialogues and scenes, female characters are of second class. He points out that despite all the economic progress, education, and progress, perhaps this is the inner truth. There is also a danger of these things coming to the surface that it may inspire many viewers to think like animals. But these are certainly the things that make Vanga’s cinema different. If you want to move away from consensus disagreement or get into these debates and want to watch something different from the routine Bollywood films, then Animal is for you. Finally, also know that Animal will have a sequel. At the end of the film, the writer-director lifted the curtain on this also.
The much-awaited film Animal is a violence-oriented film. These films have their structure. They move accordingly. Here the son’s unfulfilled desire from childhood to spend time with his father is expressed. The basic question is what does the film say and where does it reach? It starts as a father-son story and turns into a revenge drama. The story progresses at a fast pace before the intermission. The story slips after the interval. The film also contains unnecessary sexual dialogues and scenes. Especially the scene of Bobby’s character on the sofa with his wife in public. Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga keeps a tight grip on the story, but tight editing could have easily reduced the duration of the film. ‘Papa Papa’ How did Ranvijay stay away from his father for eight years? How did he not miss his father during that time? Hindi films follow a specific pattern.
It is not known who comes and goes from where and when. The side of Balbir’s enemies is very weak. Why did he think of killing Balbir after so many years? Why did Asrar Haq’s (Bablu Prithviraj) two brothers not come with him? Ranvijay himself is also a father. Although he is not as busy as his father, he still does not spend time with the children. There is no scene of affection between grandfather and grandchildren. The story seems scattered in between. In the film, everything from the hair on the head to the appendages has been discussed openly. Ranvijay, who is recuperating, is gaining weight. There is also a discussion on that. The funny thing is that suddenly that increased weight also disappears. However, the action of the film is fantastic. Unlike typical Hindi films, there are no bullets fired here, instead, it rains heavily. The fight scene between Rannvijay and Abrar Haq (Bobby Deol) on the runway is thrilling. The gory scenes at the end of the fight may turn some people off.
The responsibility for the film is on the shoulders of Ranbir Kapoor. Undoubtedly Ranbir is an amazing actor. Here too he has proved himself in the role of a son obsessed with his father. He has completely imbibed Rannvijay’s mentality, passion, and enthusiasm. Bobby Dole looks good in the brief role of the villain. There was a need to expand upon his character and his family issues. Rashmika Mandanna’s part has one or two emotional scenes, husband-wife altercations, and kissing scenes. Anil Kapoor does justice to his character. In one scene, Ranvijay becoming a father and Balbir becoming a son is effective. This will shock those fathers who do not give time to their children due to work commitments. Upendra Limaye remains memorable in his brief role. The character Zoya (Tripti Dimri) brings a twist to the story, but not much is known about her. The character of Ranvijay’s younger sister Roop (Anshul Chauhan) is useless. There is mention of a sequel at the end of the film. Perhaps because of this many questions have been left unanswered. The music of the film suits the Punjabi background and is melodious.
Animal The first half is tight. That’s why despite being long it doesn’t bother. The story is established. The 18-18-minute pre-interval scene adds fire to the film. The choreography of this sequence is sabotage. But the background music of Harshvardhan Rameshwar elevates that scene. The BGM of the film is the only thing in which you will not find any flaw in any part of the film. But some family scenes in the second half seem to drag. Especially the scenes with the character of Geetanjali played by Rashmika Mandanna. Sandeep Vanga has tried to keep this film personal and intimate at his level. But for this, they do not choose worldly and logical methods. This is where things start becoming problematic.
Vijay and Geetanjali studied in the same school. But years later, Vijay meets Geetanjali on her engagement day. And says that her physical structure is right for having children. Despite all this, Geetanjali agrees to marry him. There is another scene in the film, which is very insensitive. Vijay is badly injured in a fight. He is undergoing treatment. In such a situation, he compares Geetanjali’s periods and blood loss with his injury. This is a very awkward scene. And there are many such scenes and dialogues in the film, which leave you shocked. Ranbir Kapoor played the character named Ranvijay Balbir Singh in the film. This film rests entirely on his shoulders. Because no other actor has been given a chance to flourish in front of him. Ranbir has blown away the smoke. This is probably ‘barfi’. After that is the best work of his career. His intensity is scary. His eyes help to enter into this character. You can see what emotions he is going through right there. You cannot imagine any other actor in this role. The role of writing and director is important in this. But you cannot take away the credit of the actor because of this.
Anil Kapoor has played the role of Vijay’s father Balbir Singh. The emotional gap between Balbir and Vijay is not shown to you. But it is expected that you understand it yourself. Plus, no backstory of Balbir’s character has been given. It feels like this is Vijay’s world, everybody else is just living in it. That’s why the scope of Anil’s performance also keeps going down. You get to see his range in the last scene of the film. Where they are just called ‘Papa-Papa’. Had to speak. Rashmika Mandanna’s Hindi accent is not completely clear. Therefore, on many occasions, his dialogues are not heard clearly. Because of this, their performance numbers get cut. Bobby Deol should get a separate award for the way Sandeep Reddy Vanga has ruined him.
There are two or three actors in the film, who shine despite less screen time. The first is, ‘Sony’ Fame Saloni Batra, who has played the role of Vijay’s sister Reet. Of all the characters in this film, Ranbir has the most footage. She looks very natural. Second actor Saurabh Sachdeva. He wrote ‘Sacred Games’ and played the role of Suleman Isa. Animal He has become a close friend of Bobby Deol. He barely has two or three scenes in the film. In this, he has proved that if you are a good actor, your work in a scene will get noticed. The third actor is Trupti Dimri. Trupti will be counted among the best actors of this era in the next few years. It started with ‘Laila Majnu’. and ‘Bulbul’ Has been since. Animal His role is nothing special. Despite this, his work is very impressive.
Animal Movie Review: The Last Words
If you are looking for a gritty and violent action film with a strong lead performance, then Animal is worth checking out. However, if you are looking for a well-crafted and thought-provoking film, then you may want to look elsewhere. See, the overall point is that Animal is a critic and review-proof film. Sandeep Reddy Vanga has made the film he wanted to make. There are many flaws in it. It is a one-line story. There is no emotional depth. A sprinkling of misogyny gets the job done. For these reasons, it cannot be called a serious film. Despite this, Animal Doesn’t bore you. It should be watched for pure entertainment. Considering cinema. If you are expecting anything more than that, then this film is not for you.
Animal Movie Review: Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Well-Crafted and Thought-Provoking Film - Filmyhype
Director: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Date Created: 2023-12-01 19:20
4
Pros
- Ranbir Kapoor's performance: Kapoor gives a career-best performance as the conflicted gangster. He is both menacing and vulnerable, and he brings a lot of depth to the role.
- The supporting cast: The supporting cast is also excellent, with Anil Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, and Bobby Deol all giving memorable performances.
- The action sequences: The film's action sequences are well-choreographed and brutal. They are not for the faint of heart, but they are still effective and entertaining.
- The realism: The film is set in the real world of Indian gangsters, and it does not shy away from the violence and brutality of that world.
Cons
- The violence: The film is very violent, and it may be too much for some viewers.
- The misogyny: The film is also quite misogynistic, and it portrays women in a negative light. This is disappointing, given that Vanga's previous film, Kabir Singh, was also criticized for its misogyny.
- The pacing: The film's pacing is slow at times, and it could have been tighter.
