Actor Rashmika Mandanna raised eyebrows by stating that she would date a man like Ranbir Kapoor‘s character from the movie Animal, a role widely criticised for being misogynistic and toxic. The actor made this comment at the We The Women event hosted by journalist Barkha Dutt in London. Rashmika played the female lead in Animal.
At the event, a member of the audience asked Rashmika whether she would date someone like Ranbir’s character from Animal, and whether she believes women should accept such men in their lives. “I truly believe that if you love someone and someone loves you, the changes will happen,” she responded.
Barkha Dutt quickly interjected, asking: “Do you actually think that you can change people? You know that’s a young and romantic idea?” The comment drew laughter and applause from the largely female audience, many of whom seemed to resonate with Barkha's observation.
However, Rashmika doubled down on her response, elaborating: “I said that statement because, for example: when you grow up with a partner or someone from a younger age, you are still forming a personality. You are still figuring out what you like and what you do not like. And when you grow up together… when you remember your best friend or your partner being a certain way maybe a decade earlier, suddenly to the person who they are today—you’re just like, ‘Do you remember how it was? And do you realise how much we have changed together?’”
But she acknowledged that such relationships work only for a few people. “Maybe I am just talking about those miracle partners or situations.”
A clipping of the conversation shared by Barkha Dutt on her Instagram account went viral, triggering strong reactions.
One comment read: “Either she really doesn't know of narcissistic personalities that could never change (really naive) or just playing dumb to not ruin her chances in such movies again. This answer is clearly less smart and coming from someone from someone her age & her exposure, oh boy!”
Another user wrote: “She shouldn’t speak on and off screen. So sad.”
Animal, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, received sharp criticism from several quarters for its romanticisation of misogyny and aggressive behaviour. The protagonist Ranvijay Singh, played by Ranbir Kapoor, was extremely violent and the film had scenes showing blood and gore, as well as sexist comments towards women including Rashmika‘s character.
Not only were the scenes accentuated to raise Ranvijay‘s heroic arc, but director Sandeep Reddy also justified them as raw emotions that he did not think were problematic. His previous film Arjun Reddy has also invited similar criticism.