I watched Animal when it was released. It was very well written and made, and Ranbir Kapoor’s performance as the lead was brilliant, among other things.
A bit of context for those unaware of ‘Animal‘ – it is a film about a boy who is obsessed with his father and swears revenge on anyone who tries to hurt him. He is a misogynist who has erased all lines between right and wrong and does precisely what he pleases, much to the chagrin of everyone around him.
Animal released in December 2023. It made big money, running houseful for weeks, even as it was bashed publicly. The film is still talked about, with people bringing up the film and their attitudes towards it. ‘How can one make such a film?’ ‘How can anyone watch such a film?’. My all-time favorites are ‘Imagine the impact such a film has on society’ and ‘What behavior are we encouraging /what are we teaching our kids by making such a movie?’
A film is made for entertainment. Writers are almost always inspired by real life. The purpose of art, in any form, is to make you see things differently, to make you think. I digress here to add that Sandeep Reddy Vanga, who wrote and directed Animal, made Arjun Reddy, which ruffled many feathers.
If you think that a film or a book will influence your kids, ask why that is happening and what you can do about changing it if the inspiration is not suitable. Encourage a relationship where your kids can talk to you about everything rather than controlling them and their choices. We were all kids once upon a time, and we all know that curiosity faced by authoritarian behavior leads to more curiosity and sneaky ways to find the answers that may not always be right. And remember, children don’t learn from listening to what you tell them. Children emulate your thought process and what they see you doing or saying.
I find it amusing how people forget that ‘society’ is made up of all of us. How quick we are to label attributes as good or bad, for and against—when it comes to others. This is the same society that prefers to look away when something wrong happens to one of its own. When it doesn’t concern you, it is not your problem—is the thought.
How often have you chosen silence and being neutral when you saw a wrongdoing? Whether it was someone bribing their way out of jumping a traffic signal or someone beating up their spouse next door. What role do you play as a society when women are raped, slandered, and shamed. Those candle marches and ‘spread kindness wherever you go’ status updates will not do the job.
In Animal, the film’s writer decided to tell a story about a person so drunk on power that he goes mentally unhinged. Haven’t we seen various forms of this around us? Politicians who make decisions that cause long-term damage. Bosses are supposed to be ship captains, but their egos turn their organizations and businesses into shipwrecks. Teachers who have scarred students for life. Spouses who are so obsessed with control that they mentally ruin their partners and children and sometimes even entire families and generations to follow.
How many people in trouble can you claim to have helped? How many wrongdoings have you pointed out and perhaps corrected? How many times have you spoken up when yours was the only voice that was heard?
Self-awareness is still an alien concept to many. We all have attributes inside us that we are yet to discover. We don’t know what will emerge from within when pushed to the wall. Society, morals, rules, and norms are all invisible shackles that bind us and keep us in check. If one day these ceased to exist, I can assure you that you will shock yourself the most if you choose to do what you feel and want.
Don’t blame cinema or books for ‘influencing’ you. Ask what was there within you that resonated so much with what you saw or read.
I read this Native American proverb over two decades ago, which has guided my decisions.
‘There is a battle between two wolves inside each of us. One wolf is evil—it represents anger, jealousy, greed, lies, resentment, inferiority, and ego. The other wolf is good—it represents joy, peace, love, humility, kindness, empathy, and truth. The wolf that wins is the one you feed.’
We all have an animal within us. Some choose to tame it, while others let it run wild. The results of your choice will be borne by you and you alone.