Animal – A Cinematic Temper Tantrum with a Dull Roar

Ranbir Kapoor in Animal

Animal, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, is a film that struggles to find its footing, caught between excessive violence and an attempt at giving the middle finger to “woke feminists”. The narrative follows Ranbir Kapoor as Ranvijay, a character defined more by his uncontrollable rage than any compelling depth. The film unfolds in a series of flashbacks, with a confusing and unnecessary framing device set in the year 2056, serving little purpose other than to add an extra layer of complexity.

The movie revolves around the strained relationship between Ranvijay and his father Balbir, played by Anil Kapoor, who is preoccupied with his business empire. The character dynamics are poorly developed, with Balbir’s reactions to his son’s violent behavior coming off as inconsistent and unconvincing.

The film’s screenplay relies heavily on shock value, presenting gory and violent sequences without much narrative justification. Unlike other films that use violence as a means to explore masculinity and societal pressures, Animal seems to revel in violence for its own sake. The protagonist’s actions, including mass murder, lack any legal consequences in a world where the ultra-rich can apparently get away with anything.

Ranbir Kapoor’s performance, while intense, fails to add depth to his character, who remains consistently angry from start to finish. The attempt to subvert expectations by presenting a different side of the actor falls flat, as the film merely reinforces stereotypes and toxic masculinity.

The treatment of women in the film is a point of contention, with the narrative seemingly baiting audiences into debates about feminism. The movie’s attempt to address misogyny through a reversal of roles feels forced and fails to contribute meaningfully to any larger discussion. The film’s embrace of provocative sexism, coupled with gratuitous scenes of violence, creates a disconcerting viewing experience.

Animal’s narrative lacks finesse, with episodic storytelling that fails to build to any meaningful climax. The film sacrifices cinematic craftsmanship for flashy scenes and bombastic moments, leaving the audience with a sense of emptiness after its 201-minute runtime.

While the technical aspects of the film, including cinematography and background scoring, are commendable, they are overshadowed by the overall lack of substance in the storytelling. Animal exists in a reality that is neither convincingly realistic nor fully fantastical, making it challenging for viewers to engage with the narrative on any meaningful level.

In the end, Animal may succeed in provoking reactions and discussions, but it does so at the expense of coherent storytelling and character development. The film’s reliance on shock value and its questionable portrayal of relationships and societal issues raise concerns about the direction of Hindi cinema in 2023. As the film generates buzz, one must question whether the industry is taking responsibility for the impact of such narratives on the audience.

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Yaadon Ki Baraat’s Bengali remake and the Vishwakarma Puja connection

Poster of Toofan. Image credit: Angel Digital

Yaadon Ki Baraat, a cult classic directed by Naseer Hussain, is easily one of the best masala flicks to come out of the Bollywood stable. Starring Dharmendra, Vijay Arora, Tariq Khan, and Zeenat Aman, the film is showered with love from the audiences even today. The memorable soundtrack of the film, composed by R.D. Burman has earned its place in history. In a nod to the popularity of the classic, even director Ashutosh Gowarikar banked on the film for a crucial sequence in Swades.

Kumbh ke mele mein bichhre huye bhai (brothers lost at the Kumbh fair) is an oft-used phrase in Hindi, and Yaadon Ki Baraat is also centred around this lost-and-found theme. This is the story of three brothers – Shankar (Dharmendra), Vijay (Vijay Arora) and Ratan (Tariq Khan) – who are separated as children. Their parents are murdered by a notorious smuggler Shakaal. They grow up in different circumstances until fate brings them together several decades later.

Naseer Hussain’s classic was so popular that it inspired filmmakers to fall back on the lost-and-found genre. One such film is the 1989 Bengali film Toofan. Written and directed by Biresh Chatterjee, the film is a spin-off of Yaadon Ki Baraat, and Vishwakarma Puja is central to the film’s plot.

Like Yaadon… Toofan is also the story of three brothers Rabi, Raja and Ranju, who get separated in childhood. Superstars of the post Uttam Kumar era, Chiranjeet, Tapas Paul, and Abhishek Chatterjee essay the role of the three brothers. However, unlike Hussain’s classic, the parents are not dead in this film. Another difference with the Hindi version is that here all three brothers have love interests – Roopa Ganguly, Nayana Das and Indrani Dutta.

The chain of events in Toofan are set in motion on the occasion of Vishwakarma Puja. It was a windy night; the family was preparing to worship the God of engineering, when the dagger of fate fell on them. Manik (Dilip Roy) is arrested on false charges. The local goons decide to murder his wife Archana (Shakuntala Barua) and his three sons, but they escape. The mother takes up a job as a governess for a rich family. While one of the brothers is separated from the rest, the eldest one leaves his sibling at a temple, where a rich childless couple adopts him.

Like Yaadon, the family had a happy song, which everyone sang together in celebration. ‘Bashbo bhalo, rakhbo mone’ may not be ‘Churliya hai tumne jo dil ko’ but it is a chartbuster in its own right. Two decades later, fate brings all the brothers together, again on the occasion of Vishwakarma Puja. And it is this celebratory song that reunites the family.

Like the Hindi counterpart, Toofan has all the masala for a mainstream potboiler. There’s drama, there’s emotion, action and romance. The presence of three big stars of that period is testimony itself on what a big movie this might have been at the time. And by writing the entire plot around Vishwakarma Puja, Biresh Chatterjee succeeded in tapping into Bengali emotions as well.

You can stream the movie on Voot.