Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga recently reflected on the mixed reactions to his 2023 blockbuster Animal, starring Ranbir Kapoor. While the film raked in massive box office numbers, it also faced backlash for its intense violence and bold themes. The controversy surrounding the film led Vanga to notice an interesting pattern—while he bore the brunt of the criticism, Ranbir walked away with all the praise.

‘I’m not jealous, But there’s a pattern’

In an interview with Komal Nahta, Vanga openly addressed this industry trend. “The film industry slammed Animal, but they showered praise on Ranbir Kapoor. I’m not jealous of him, but there’s a pattern here—when they don’t like a film, they target the director and spare the actors.”

Despite the harsh criticism, Vanga made it clear that he has no resentment towards Ranbir.

“I’m genuinely happy for him. He got all the love for Animal, and I took the heat,” he added.

Ranbir’s performance vs. Vanga’s criticism

The director pointed out how Ranbir’s contribution to the film was celebrated, while he was singled out for criticism.

“Ranbir Kapoor didn’t get criticism for Animal. I’m not jealous, though—it’s just an observation.”

He further explained that this isn’t a new phenomenon in the film industry.

 “I understood they want to work with Ranbir. That’s clear because if they say anything to Ranbir… It’s easy to make a comment about me because I am new for this place. A filmmaker will make a film in 2-3 years but an actor will appear five times. So, the one with whom you can work more, you won’t say anything about him. That’s true,” he added.

The success and the backlash

Released in December 2023, Animal became one of the year’s biggest hits, grossing over Rs 900 crore globally. However, its graphic violence and perceived glorification of toxic masculinity sparked heated debates. Despite this, Vanga remained firm in his creative vision, just as he did with Arjun Reddy, his debut film that also divided opinions.

On the work front, Vanga is already gearing up for his next project, 'Spirit', which will star Prabhas.