“Maybe He Still…”: Sandeep Reddy Vanga Says Shahid Kapoor Did Not Reach Out To Him After 'Animal' Release
Sandeep Reddy Vanga has revealed that Shahid Kapoor did not reach out to him after 'Animal' released in cinemas.
Sandeep Reddy Vanga is currently enjoying the massive success of his latest film 'Animal', starring Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Triptii Dimri and Shakti Kapoor. The new Hindi movie released in theatres in December 2023, but it is still dominating public chatter due to controversial statements being passed by the director himself. As per the latest Bollywood gossip, Sandeep Reddy Vanga has been quite vocal in dissing the critics of his latest Hindi film, which has been bashed by many people for glorifying toxic masculinity and misogyny.
For the unversed, Sandeep Reddy Vanga has directed three films so far -- 'Arjun Reddy', its Hindi remake 'Kabir Singh', and 'Animal'. All three films have been criticised for their representation of women. However, these three films have enjoyed great commercial success.
As per the latest Bollywood gossip, Sandeep Reddy Vanga revealed that his 'Kabir Singh' actor Shahid Kapoor did not reach out to him after 'Animal' released in cinemas.
When asked whether Shahid Kapoor reached out to him after 'Animal' release, Sandeep Reddy Vanga told journalist Siddharth Kannan, "Maybe he still hasn’t seen the film."
Sandeep Reddy Vanga also said that he was expecting 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani' director Karan Johar to love 'Animal', as the latter had "genuinely" liked 'Kabir Singh' as well.
“He messaged me during Kabir Singh also and had put a long message on Instagram for Kabir Singh that he loved the film. He genuinely liked it, even I didn’t expect that he would like Kabir, but when he did, I was expecting that he would love Animal as well, which he did,” Sandeep Reddy Vanga said.
Sandeep Reddy Vanga also said that his 'Arjun Reddy' actor Vijay Deverakonda reached out to him after 'Animal' released in theatres.
“We always have this thing that we have to work again, but it’s not like he will immediately call me because my film is a hit. Vijay and I are regularly in touch, we talk on phone,” said Sandeep Reddy Vanga.
For the unversed, during a roundtable event, Karan Johar had showered praise on 'Animal', as he hailed it as the "best film" of 2023.
“I loved Animal for its front-footed, absolutely conviction-based narrative storytelling, breaking grammar, breaking myths, breaking everything that you think conforms to mainstream cinema. Suddenly you have an interval block where the hero is getting bashed up and everyone’s singing a song… I am like, ‘Where have you seen a sequence like this?’ It’s genius," Karan Johar said at a roundtable organised by Galatta Plus.
“The end, where the two men are going for each other and they play that song… I had tears in my eyes, but there was only blood. So I was like something is wrong with me or something is wrong with him, but something put together is very right about this film. This is not an average thinking mind. This is a mind of someone who is so distinct, so individualistic that I was blown away. I saw the film twice, first to see as an audience member and second to study it. I think the success, and acceptance of Animal is game-changing. The conviction is something that I want to have,” he added.
Speaking of ‘Animal’, the 2023 Hindi movie collected more than Rs 500 crore in India. Globally, it ended its run with a collection of more than Rs 900 crore.
The 2023 Hindi movie continues to receive criticism on social media for its portrayal of toxic masculinity, misogyny and violence. Recently, Ranbir Kapoor won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance in ‘Animal’.
