Although his first two films — Arjun Reddy and its Hindi remake Kabir Singh — were blockbusters, filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga was brutally criticised for being chauvinistic. Ranbir Kapoor too, the protagonist of his upcoming film Animal, has similar traits. Put that to Sandeep, he asks us, “Are you talking about anger management? Both the protagonists in my two films are very sincere, and both films are character-driven plots,” comments the director about the commonalities and adds, “Arjun Reddy was a character who doesn’t have control over his anger quotient while Ranbir has in Animal.”
When you ask about his fascination for writing and designing male characters with extreme emotions and self-destructive modes, he says that if the characters are intense it’s only then he gets the right emotion. “I think people who are volatile and impulsive can only exhibit such extreme emotion, and that drives my film,” he says, clarifying that it’s not a conscious attempt to write chauvinist characters.
Animal is tipped to be a love story between a father and son while exploring the emotions tied to the lengths one goes for family, depicting a poignant narrative. However, there is an apprehension that violence is dominating emotion in the film. “The title reflects instinctive behaviour, akin to animals. It aligns with the hero’s instinctive character in the story. Ranbir will exude intense emotions and hence I have titled the film so,” says the director.
When the poster and trailer was released, Animal too has received it’s share of criticism for toxic male saga misogynist and misleading in its portrayal. The director clarifies that he intends to provide an immersive experience with characters that have strong emotional impact. “I believe authenticity drives emotional intensity, and those who naturally exhibit such intense emotions bring characters to life on the silver screen. And Animal strikes a balance between emotion and violence, maintaining stability throughout.”
Collaborating with Ranbir Kapoor has been a delightful experience for Sandeep who describes the actor as a ‘great personality.’ “Ranbir is a superstar who is down-to-earth. He never let his stardom influence my writing and shooting the film. Having worked with him closely I think his humility, great focus on sets and big heart make him a superstar.”
Road to Bollywood
South filmmakers are now being welcomed in Bollywood more than ever before. But Sandeep disagrees stating that earlier too several filmmakers from the South were successful. “Films that had impactful narratives have always worked irrespective of the regions. And look at the way we are expanding regions and Indian films have now reached global markets. At the same time audiences are also evolving, so filmmakers with mediocre narratives cannot get away.”
Sandeep will direct another superstar Prabhas in his next film Spirit. When asked to give us a sneak-peak about the film’s status quo, he replies that it’s too early to talk about it. “The pre-production work starts in June, focusing on dialogues and treatment,” says Sandeep who will also direct another superstar Allu Arjun, subsequently.
