Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap recently met Sandeep Reddy Vanga and defended the Animal director’s brand of controversial cinema.
In an Instagram post, Kashyap shared pictures from his meeting with Vanga and wrote, “Had a great evening with @sandeepreddy.vanga . The most misunderstood, judged and reviled Filmaker at the moment . To me he is the most honest , vulnerable and a lovely human being . And I really don’t give a f””” what any one thinks of him or his film.”
Kashyap said he wanted to meet Vanga and speak to him about Animal, which he has seen twice. Starring Ranbir Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Animal is a crime saga centered on a troubled father-son relationship. The film grossed over Rs. 900 crore at the box office, becoming one of the most successful Hindi films of 2023 despite mixed reviews.
“I wanted to meet the man and I had questions and he answered every thing I asked of him about his film that I actually saw twice,” Kashyap continued. “Thank you for being patient and being yourself . 40’days since i first saw ANIMAL and 22 days since I saw it the second time . The biggest game changer of Hindi cinema in the longest time and a film whose impact (good or bad) which can’t be denied . And the filmmaker who takes it all on his chin . Great evening spent with him.”
Kashyap, known for cult films like Dev.D and Gangs of Wasseypur, has batted for Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s work in the past. In an interview soon after the release of Animal, Kashyap had said that while he was yet to watch the film, he was aware of the conversations it was generating online. “People in this country get easily offended with films,” Kashyap was quoted as saying. He had also defended Vanga’s previous film, Kabir Singh (2019).
Recently, veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar, without naming Animal, said that commercial success of films with problematic scenes was a “dangerous” trend.
