Karan Johar defends loving Animal, says he saw it as ‘character film’: ‘Didn’t go deep into its moral communication’

Karan Johar defends loving Animal, headlined by Ranbir Kapoor. (Photo: PR handout, Karan Johar/Instagram)

Everyone who loved Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal has to at some point explain why, filmmaker Karan Johar is no exception.

Last year, Karan had dubbed the controversial Ranbir Kapoor starrer as the best movie of 2023 and has now again detailed what worked for him in the action thriller.

Animal was criticised for its misogynistic narrative, triggering scenes and violence. Social media discourse around the film, though sharply divided, didn’t stop it from becoming one of the biggest hits of Hindi cinema.

At the Forbes India Leadership Awards 2024, Karan Johar spoke about Animal again, months after shocking fans by admitting that the film had “aroused and engaged” him like no other.

| Karan Johar says he was ‘aroused’ by Animal, calls Ranbir Kapoor-starrer the ‘best’ film of 2023: ‘You can debate about the scenes, but…’

“There’s been a lot of debate on Animal. People have expressed opinions, stood for it or against it – the filmmaker himself has been very vocal about his feelings. Personally, truly honestly, I saw it as a character film based on a character who was deeply dysfunctional, inherently violent, who had many emotional issues – and I loved the treatment.”

Karan Johar said he didn’t go “deep” into the “moral communication” of the film as he was taken in by what Sandeep Reddy Vanga had pulled off, with regards to his storytelling and technical flair. If he has loved a film, Johar said, he has to be open about it even if it runs the risk of being criticised.

“I didn’t go deep into the moral communication of the film – I was so swept by the narrative and the way the filmmaker told the story of it through sound design, screenplay, dialogue, character development, that as a filmmaker, I loved it.

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“There are people who have called me and expressed their opinions – and agreed or disagreed with me. I have to be honest about my emotion attached to a film I’ve seen, and if it comes with criticism or flak, then I have to accept it with open arms. And if it comes with an embrace, I have to accept that as well,” he added.

Grossing over Rs 900 crore, Animal was a giant box office winner and earned acclaim for its actors Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol and Triptii Dimri. Animal generated heated social media discourse, with veterans like Javed Akhtar and Swanand Kirkire also slamming the film.

 

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