RJ Balaji slams Ranbir Kapoor starrer Animal for disrespecting women: ‘Felt bad seeing the audience enjoy the film’

Kollywood actor-filmmaker, RJ Balaji, who was recently featured in Run Baby Run, slammed Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna starrer Animal while discussing feminism. The multi-talented personality cited the example of Sandeep Reddy Vanga directorial while sharing his view on feminism in films. Balaji revealed that he had not watched the movie but heard the discourse around it. “I know everyone likes to say ‘watch the movie like a movie and treat it as a craft’ but it stuck with me that a set of people locked in a theatre were enjoying a guy mistreat women and hurl abuses at them,” he said, adding, “I feel bad that the audience are enjoying such films. I don’t think it’s normal to react to such scenes with enjoyment,” said the filmmaker while talking to Indiaglitz.

He added, “I don’t want to watch and get influenced to keep similar scenes. I heard there is a scene where he (Ranbir) asks another actor (Triptii Dimri) to lick his shoe. I believe youngsters who watch the film will think it’s okay to treat women in this manner. I don’t want my films to add to that.” Animal has been surrounded by controversies ever since it was released. While Karan Johar, Ram Gopal Varma, Allu Arjun and others praised the movie, Javed Akhtar and Kangana Ranaut bashed the film for showcasing toxic masculinity. For the unversed, Animal has earned over Rs 500 crore at the box office and is the fourth film to achieve this feat after Pathaan, Gadar 2 and Jawan. The film also features Bobby Deol, Triptii Dimri, Anil Kapoor, Prem Chopra, Suresh Oberoi, Sonali Batra and others in prominent roles.