Mumbai: Ranbir Kapoor acknowledged the power of cinema to ignite discussions and credited his recent film "Animal" for initiating a "healthy" conversation around toxic masculinity.
Despite facing criticism for its portrayal of women, misogyny, and graphic violence, the action drama, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, emerged as one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2023.
In a video shared on Netflix India's YouTube page, Ranbir emphasised the importance of cinema in addressing societal issues, stating, "There is a very healthy conversation that has started about toxic masculinity, which is a great thing because cinema, at least, it starts a conversation."
The actor stressed the role of cinema in portraying the wrongs in society and the need for empathetic portrayals by actors.
He added, "Actors need to be 'empathetic' towards the characters they play. But as an audience, you decide what's wrong. You can make a film on the wrong person, and it should be made. Because if you don't make a film on them, society will never improve."
In "Animal," Ranbir Kapoor portrayed Ranvijay, a violent character seeking revenge for an assassination attempt on his estranged father, played by Anil Kapoor. Despite the characters facing consequences, Ranbir highlighted the importance of showcasing the deserved outcomes in storytelling.
Bobby Deol, who played the antagonist Abrar Haque, supported the idea that storytelling reflects society.
He said, "It's showing you what is happening in society, and there are so many things we don't want to talk about. But we are actors and we're just getting an opportunity to play different characters. That's the fun of being an actor."
Ranbir Kapoor also provided insights into the sequel, "Animal Park," expressing excitement about Sandeep Reddy Vanga's vision to delve even deeper into darker and more complex themes following the success of the first part.