Taapsee Pannu: Taapsee Pannu voices concerns over ‘Animal’ despite not watching it; reveals why she would never have done the film

Taapsee Pannu, known for her candid and outspoken nature, has recently shared her views on the controversial blockbuster ‘Animal’, starring Ranbir Kapoor. Despite not having watched the film, Pannu expressed her reservations during an interview with Raj Shamani on his YouTube channel, shedding light on the societal context in which Bollywood operates.

While ‘Animal’ has seen massive financial success, grossing over ₹912 crore worldwide, it has faced criticism for glorifying misogynistic and violent behavior.

Taapsee, when asked about the film, acknowledged, “Lot of people told me too much about it (Animal). Look, I am not an extremist, so I agree to disagree to a lot of people… don’t compare it to Hollywood and say ‘If you liked Gone Girl, how can you not like Animal’? You are catering to a different audience. In Hollywood, people don’t start copying actors’ hairstyles from movies or using a film’s line in real life.
They also don’t start stalking women after seeing it in a movie. But all this happens in our country. This is our reality. You cannot compare our film industries with Hollywood and say ‘Why are these pseudos talking like this about Animal, when they can enjoy Gone Girl as an art’? Understand the difference”.
In response to a query about whether films like ‘Animal’ should be made, Taapsee asserted that such movies should exist but with a distinct goal – influencing society positively. She emphasized the need for people to have a solid moral compass and not get unduly influenced by the content they consume, acknowledging the unfortunate reality that this is often not the case.

Addressing why she, personally, would refrain from participating in a film like ‘Animal’, Taapsee underscored her belief in the responsibility that comes with her position as a Bollywood actor. She highlighted, “Keeping the reality (of society) in mind, I need to exercise my power because Bollywood or being a star and actor gives you that soft power. And with power comes responsibility. So it is my opinion, and I am not one of those, who will tell XYZ actors that they should not do these films. They have their own choice; we are in a free country and we have a freedom of choice. I wouldn’t do it (Animal) is what I am saying”.

This isn’t the first time Taapsee Pannu has taken a stance against films with problematic themes. She had previously spoken out against ‘Kabir Singh’, another Sandeep Reddy Vanga-directed film, critiquing its misogynistic portrayal of romantic relationships.
‘Animal’, produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Murad Khetani, and Pranay Reddy Vanga, has faced criticism for its portrayal of extreme violence and toxic masculinity. The narrative centers around the strained father-son relationship between Anil Kapoor’s Balbir Singh and Ranbir Kapoor’s Ranvijay Singh. The film also features Rashmika Mandanna and Bobby Deol in significant roles.