Rashmika Justifies Ranbir’s Role In Animal

When Sandeep Reddy Vanga's directorial Animal roared into theatres in December 2023, it didn’t just break box office records, it cracked open sharp debates. Critics came for the film’s unapologetic tone, its violent streak, and most of all, Ranbir Kapoor’s intense portrayal of a flawed, troubled man. While many called out the film’s alleged glorification of toxic masculinity, Rashmika Mandanna, who played the female lead, has now addressed the controversy directly, and she’s not sugarcoating her opinion.

In a recent conversation, Rashmika made her stance clear. “Nobody’s forcing you to watch every film,” she said, firmly pointing out that cinema is subjective. Her message was simple: if a certain kind of content doesn’t suit you, don’t engage with it. Her take didn’t aim to silence criticism but instead urged people to be mindful of how much power they assign to fictional portrayals.

She also pushed back against the tendency to expect moral perfection from characters. “We all have grey in us,” she said. “Sandeep just chose to show a disturbed person as he is.” For Rashmika, the film isn’t a celebration of problematic behavior, it’s a story about a complex man, one that clearly struck a chord with audiences, judging by the numbers.

As the conversation around Animal continues, Rashmika’s final word was a reminder about the line between actor and role. “We are pretending on screen, don’t confuse us with our characters,” she said. Playing Geetanjali, Rashmika’s role brought heart into a story that was often dark and chaotic. But off-screen, she’s now doing something equally bold, standing by the story, even when it's not an easy one to defend.