Vijay Singh (THE TIMES OF INDIA; May 15, 2025)
Mumbai: An online post by veteran Bollywood director and actor Tinu Anand (79) threatening to beat barking stray dogs with a hockey stick in his Malad (West) locality has led to angry comments from animal lovers and activists, who are now demanding an apology from him.
Anand, who began his film journey as an assistant director to the legendary Satyajit Ray in his 1969 Bengali film ‘Goopi Gyne Bagha Byne’, stated in his building’s WhatsApp group that it was “terrifying” to see the local dogs bark at him at night after he returned from a rather difficult film shoot. He threatened to beat the dogs with a hockey stick and asked animal lovers to take all the dogs inside their homes, failing which they would have to face his wrath.
Activist and legal advisor to Pure Animal Lovers (PAL) Foundation, Roshan Pathak, said: “It is unfortunate that such a senior Bollywood personality can make such crass and careless statements about beating the local dogs with a hockey stick, only because they bark. I spoke to the local feeders in Anand’s building at Malad, as they are disturbed by this threat issued on WhatsApp. I also messaged Anand that it is a crime to physically beat dogs and that it is natural for dogs to bark.”
While PAL is demanding an apology from Anand, PETA India has expressed surprise that the senior film director has shown such anger towards the mutes.
“We are surprised by Tinu Anand’s comments against stray dogs because a few years ago, when he and his family resided in Juhu, they would often visit our PETA India office in the same area and showed that they cared for the local community dogs. The Anand family also had their own pet dog whom they loved dearly. Sterilisation and vaccination are the best and only legal ways to control dog numbers and keep them healthy,” said PETA India legal advisor and director of cruelty response Meet Ashar.
An animal feeder, Aanchal Chaddha, who resides in Anand’s society, said: “We are concerned about this online threat he gave of hitting our street dogs. Anand should take back his words and apologize.”
Chaddha said she had already adopted several stray dogs and kept them at her home, but since it is not possible to keep all the street dogs in the house, they are regularly fed outside.
The exact statement of Anand on the WhatsApp group was: “Have come back after a horrifying shoot to be greeted by terrifying dogs barking and not knowing who to bite next… Challenge taken. Have a hockey stick to face them… am warning all dog lovers hereon… take them home OR then face my wrath… my society is given advance notice.”
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THE TIMES OF INDIA (May 14, 2025)
Bollywood actor and filmmaker Tinnu Anand has landed in hot water after a WhatsApp message attributed to him went viral online, drawing sharp criticism from animal lovers and the public. His message appeared to threaten stray dogs in his residential society in Versova, Mumbai, and it triggered outrage among many online. Amidst the backlash, the actor has now responded to the issue.
Tinnu’s first reaction to the social media scrutiny
In response to the backlash, Tinnu Anand shared his side of the story in an interview with the Free Press Journal. “This is absolutely what I meant because my daughter has broken her wrist, and she’s been undergoing treatment for the past month. It has cost me Rs, 90,000, as she has undergone two operations now,” he shared.
He explained that his daughter’s pet was attacked by stray dogs, and she injured her wrist while trying to protect it. He questioned why dog lovers don’t leash the strays they care for, adding that even a local delivery man had stopped service after being attacked twice.
“I’m 80 years old, and if any dog attacks me, I have every right to defend myself. That is what I meant. That is what these people should have understood anyway,” he explained. He also shared that many are now portraying him in a negative light, and he is completely fine with that. He further stated that such incidents are not rare, as many dogs have been attacked, raising serious safety concerns.
“It’s not about attacking dogs; it’s just about defending myself, and I have every right to do so. These people are quoting the Supreme Court order. Where does the Supreme Court say that you can’t defend yourself against a dog attacking you?” he concluded.
The issue and social media reaction
The controversy erupted when his WhatsApp message went viral:“Have come back after a horrifying shoot to be greeted by terrifying dogs barking and not knowing who to bite next… Challenge taken. Have a hockey stick to face them… am warning all dog lovers hereon… take them home OR then face my wrath… my society is given advance notice.”
Many social media users labelled him a real-life villain, and television actress Shweta Gulati also weighed in, stating, “Had such massive respect for this man, which is lost today. What a fool. Let’s pray he gets beaten soon.”