The entity that is Animal which was unleashed on us, teeters on the very, very thin edge that skirts obsession and topples over into the deep abyss of insanity. Once you try to emerge from it all (and the gore-fest is only a part of it, because the actions are much more stemmed from what is internal), can you faintly realise that there is a semblance of story and plot and hence an attempt on the part of the maker to justify everything. Questions regarding logic (for example, the complete absence of law-enforcement in all proceedings, how they could possibly dispose off all the dead bodies discreetly as the body count went off the charts, the source of the protagonist's insane firearm/axe-wielding/combat skills) can be shoved under the carpet (or blown off by a bazooka?) as of now, because it all feels like a fever-dream. And logic has no place inside one. Neither can you affirm with certainty that you liked being in one. Suffice to say that I liked the 'Animal', that is, Ranbir Kapoor, for the sheer conviction with which the man has sunk into the psyche of being called Ranvijay Balbir Singh. The other names in the cast that deserve a shoutout are Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol and Triptii Dimri. Moral: All of Sandeep Redddy Vanga's protagonists (and in the case of Animal, almost all characters) are fantastic beasts and we know where to find them. (I liked/didn't like Animal because... December 2)
Krishna Kumar
After a long time, I watched a Hindi movie with a unique storyline, impressive action, good humour and Ranbir Kapoor looking incredibly stylish with his new look. This isn't an action movie, it's more of a drama. Every actor delivers a phenomenal performance. Some scenes, such as killing someone and then engaging in a physical relationship with blood all over you or dancing in the nude in public, are challenging to portray convincingly. The post-credits scene is noteworthy, and I won't spoil it. A heads-up for potential viewers: Animal contains violent, gory and sexual themes, making it unsuitable for family or younger audiences. This intense cinematic experience demands attention but advises caution for its mature content. Ranbir Kapoor's acting is nothing short of spectacular, a sentiment I share even as someone who is not a dedicated fan. Rashmika Mandanna's performance also stood out. The emotional scenes resonated with a sense of reality, a quality I appreciated greatly.
Debojit Swarnaker
It is Ranbir Kapoor's era and we are just living in it. Sandeep Reddy Vanga shows us what real violence is. This movie signifies how toxic parenting affect someone's childhood, leading to the development of a disturbed personality. He grows up to be an 'alpha male' who is always aggressive and violent, with no qualms about personal or conjugal privacy. I found the first half more entertaining, especially the fight sequence where Ranvijay chopped the heads of the rival gang with an axe. Rashmika's chemistry with Ranbir was better than expected. But at certain times, it was really hard to make out what exactly she was trying to say. Bobby Deol's screen presence was top notch, the audience was literally hooting when he entered in the second half with that ear-pleasing background music. The part where Vijay (Ranbir) cheated on Geetanjali (Rashmika) with Zoya (Triptii Dimri) was dispensable. It would have been better if Vanga had given Bobby more screen time. It was exciting whenever Anil Kapoor and Ranbir appeared together. Vijay's father (Anil Kapoor) kept on ranting: "Hamara beta criminal hain " which was somewhat redundant. Vijay's actions and expectations from people are inconsistent and force us to question his character. Overall, Ranbir's character here is an amalgamation of heroism, aggression and passion. While we have been overwhelmed by his rom-com releases, it was really worth the wait to see an action thriller which he successfully carried on his shoulders. Sandeep Reddy Vanga brought something really extraordinary to Hindi cinema.
Ishika Mandal
I watched Animal in a packed theatre on the first Sunday morning and was left in awe. Parts of it do defy logic but in a film of this genre, that is asking for too much. There were many dialogues which seemed problematic and represented a patriarchal angle and toxic masculinity, which is a Vanga thing and I am okay with it. The character of Ranvijay is flawed and Vanga made it clear that he should not be followed or worshipped. Who everyone should worship is Ranbir Kapoor the performer. What a jaw-dropping, amazing performance from him!
I was not a fan of Ranbir as an action hero but he pulled it off so well that he made me think he is probably the best action hero currently in the industry. Vanga's story is deeply engaging, except the Triptii Dimri angle. Maybe it added some context to the film and I am sure she has more to offer in the next instalment. I was absolutely blown away by the music of this film. Harshavardhan has done a tremendous job. From the Electric Roja song, to Arjan vaily to Bobby Deol's creepy intro music, it felt perfect. Music was the bridge that helped one cross the film effortlessly. The first half was probably one of the best-ever in Indian cinema. I think they could have ended the film there and made another part of Animal with the second half. There is lot of chatter about the violence shown in the movie, but actually it was deliberate. Vanga, a Martin Scorsese fanboy, was crafty in showing violence of this scale. I will remember this for a long time, cannot wait for the next one!
Rajarshi Das
Amid excessive violence and mayhem, what stands out are the stunning performances. Songs are catchy. Rashmika with her explosive act, is a winner, though her accent was a bit unclear at times. Her chemistry with Ranbir is unconventional, but bang on. Anil Kapoor as the ruthless father delivers a solid act. The father-son altercations have been handled very maturedly without going overboard. Ranbir as the obsessed son with a destructive mindset delivers the performance of a lifetime. Those deceptive and volcanic eyes speak volumes. Despite adopting animal instincts, his innocence will leave you teary-eyed. As a protector of his family jungle, Ranbir as the bloodthirsty lion is brilliant. For me, this is his finest and most difficult performance, considering his soft and romantic image. Bobby Deol is promising but his screen time is too less yet demanding. The overt use of guns and the glorification of violence is a big minus point for me. I cannot endorse such celebration of blood games. But, Animal is a full on paisa, dimaag and jigra vasool film which gives an adrenaline rush to your senses and keeps you engaged despite its long running time.
Saurav Gupta
This film, or a semblance of a film, is more toxic than a vial of Russell's viper venom. It is better to stay away from it. After the first 10 minutes, it deteriorated to such misogynistic, hypermasculine, brutal garbage that nothing could salvage it. It glorifies toxicity instead of looking at it with condemnation. It looks at carnage and violence with sadistic pleasure. Sandeep Vanga doesn't want us to abhor the violence here, he celebrates it. Vijay's team sing songs in chorus while he kills and maims his opponents. The animalism of the protagonist is to be worshipped and the worst part: there's a one-line, wafer-thin justification behind the carnage. Ranbir sheds his chocolate boy image yet again and puts in an impressive act even when the character is repulsive to the core. Anil Kapoor and Bobby Deol play one-note characters who are simply wasted in the mayhem. The women are mostly sidelined or presented as commodities with brains so hollow that one of them leaves her fiance to marry a guy who boasts of being an alpha male. Sigh! Animal, more than being a bad film, is a dangerous film that is wrong on all possible levels.
Indranil Ghosh
Animal is a vicious and heart-hammering brute force of a film, riding high on a career-defining tour-de-force performance from Ranbir Kapoor. Keeping the toxic masculinity elements of the screenplay aside, it is Ranbir, who with his ferocious recklessness and intense physicality, lends Animal its raw, savage, lethal and destructive identity. The film deserves a watch for his masterful 'execution' alone. Vanga orchestrates a highly dramatic, emotionally-charged, no-holds-barred symphony of ultra-violent filmmaking, backed by an electric background score and indulgently lets his skilful players, or rather 'animals', roam mercilessly in his cinematic 'park' where there is a ridiculous lack of law and order. The post-credits sequence shows Ranbir's enormous range, as his Aziz is as fundamentally different from Ranvijay as Vanga's directorial style is from, say, Karan Johar's.
Anamitra Bhaduri
As far as gender sensitivity and progressiveness are concerned, mainstream Indian masala movies have always ranked very low. While watching Animal, one feels that a new low has been hit not just by Indian cinema, but by our society at large. The whole film feels like a three-hour-long hate speech.
I have nothing to add to the list of absurdities, marital rape scenes, endorsement of sexual and conjugal violence, sexist jokes, objectification and Oedipal fixation championed in the film that everybody in their right mind is already talking about. What I found more interesting is the way each actor involved in the film, as well as other well-known Bollywood personalities, have been justifyingr specific instances of its corrupt content. The bottomline has been Bobby Deol's statement: "Things happening in society influence films, not vice versa. As actors, we are not promoting anything." Well, Vanga certainly is. The corruption and intellectual bankruptcy of public figures, coupled with the inevitable box-office success of such chauvinistic material, is a symptom of an ominous reality of our times: regressive, ultra-right ideologies are gaining popularity all over the world, and especially in India.
The use of the Swastika in the film has given rise to speculations about Nazism, which Ranvijay, painstakingly refutes in the film itself with the observation that our Swastika is upright, not tilted like that of the Nazis. However, I noticed an interesting detail in the scene where Ranvijay stands before the Swastika and gives a fascist speech, raising his fist in a gesture clearly mimicking the Nazi salute. At a point in his speech, he uses his thumb and his first two fingers to indicate 'three', an unusual gesture used only by the Germans, as I learnt from Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds. This politically loaded gesture, made at a key juncture, is unlikely to have been accidental. In fact, no matter how hard the film tries to hide its neo-Nazi allegiance, it is writ large in every piece of misogyny and chauvinism it promotes as the 'natural' order of things. The box-office success of Animal makes me ashamed as an Indian.
Dhee Sankar
