It behooves one to keep an eye on Indian cinema – the craziest, most extreme movies tend to fly right under the radar of non-diaspora audiences. As an example, here’s this hyper-violent banger from Telegu filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga.
How to watch Animal in the UK
Animal is now screening theatrically across the UK.
Animal (2023)
What is Animal about?
Hindi superstar Ranbir Kapoor stars as Ranvijay Singh, devoted son of ultra-rich industrialist Balbir Singh (Anil Kapoor), whose yearning for his father’s approval sees him completely upend his life after the old man is almost killed in an assassination attempt. What unfolds is 201 minutes (Indian cinema privileges value for money) of unrelenting violence as Danvijay’s monumental daddy issues drive him to completely obliterate any perceived threat to his father in the most gratuitous and bloody manner imaginable.
It’s a little bit Fight Club, a little bit Only God Forgives, and a lot of unbelievable carnage. Is there a point to that carnage? Well, that’s another question…
The cast of Animal
In addition to Kapoors Ranbir and Anil, Bobby Deol, Leon Ung, Rashmika Mandanna, Diyara Valecha, Tripti Dimri, Charu Shankar, Babloo Prithiveeraj, Shakti Kapoor, Prem Chopra, Madhu Raja, Suresh Oberoi,Siddhant Karnick, and Saurabh Sachdeva round out the impressive ensemble.
The trailer for Animal
What are the critics saying about Animal?
Well, to be frank, the response has been decidedly mixed, with Animal earning bulk plaudits for its technical acumen and sheer audacity, but copping criticism for its muddled messaging, fairly right-wing posturing, and commitment to transgression over narrative sense.
As Siddhant Adlakha notes: “Ranbir Kapoor is deeply committed to his brash and ugly protagonist, but in spite of the movie’s explosive action, director Sandeep Reddy Vanga seems more preoccupied with provoking outrage than with telling a coherent story”. So, maybe this isn’t for everyone – but it’s smashing to box office, so it’s certainly for someone…
