The 2023 crime thriller ‘Animal’, starring Ranbir Kapoor, was both a major commercial success and a subject of controversy due to its provocative scenes. The film sparked mixed reactions, with some viewers criticizing its content. Even renowned screenwriter Javed Akhtar previously commented on the film, subtly critiquing its approach.
In a recent interview with ‘The Indian Express’, Akhtar shared his thoughts on the evolution of the ‘angry young man’ archetype in Indian cinema, famously portrayed by Amitabh Bachchan. He noted that the original appeal of these characters lay in the deep-seated pain behind their anger—a nuance that has since been lost, leading to the decline of such roles, “Then they forgot about the hurt, and there was only anger, which was crude. And that is how the angry young man went out of the scene,” he stated.
Javed Akhtar lamented that today’s cinema lacks great characters, which in turn limits the emergence of truly iconic stars. When asked if Ranbir Kapoor’s role in ‘Animal’ would prevent him from achieving the legendary status of Amitabh Bachchan, Akhtar humorously responded, “No, no. I may write a film for him,” with a smile, leaving the door open for future collaborations.
‘Animal’ features an ensemble cast including Rashmika Mandanna, Triptii Dimri, Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor, and others. Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Ranbir Kapoor plays the intense character of Ranvijay Singh, who is driven by violence.
Meanwhile, Javed Akhtar recently appeared in the docu-series ‘Angry Young Men: The Salim-Javed Story’, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video on August 20, 2024. The three-part series chronicles the legendary partnership of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, with insights from Bollywood icons such as Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and more. Directed by Namrata Rao, the series is produced by Salman Khan Films, Excel Media and Entertainment, and Tiger Baby.
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