Review – Animal & Sam bahadur
Two big movies were released this week. Sam Bahadur from Meghna Gulzar and Sandeep Reddy Vanga‘s Animal. One a war biopic, another revenge for papa – drama. One is slowly rising on the box office through word of mouthThe other has opened well on the box office. People are going crazy. I went to see the first day first show of one movie thinking that this movie has to be a super hit.And the other one, whose success secret is being revealed after 4 days. The story, treatment, cinematography of both the movies are very different.But still, the directors and producers have the same goal. To understand people’s mindset, to understand the market and to make a film according to that. In today’s date, a producer, director, financer has to think like a political person. Only then they can make money at the box office.I’ll explain how Animal is one of the biggest hits of this year, despite being a mediocre and problematic movie. And why Sam Bahadur fails to become a great war epic. If you don’t want any spoilers, I will advise you to save the video and watch the movies first. Let us start this video by waking up the animal withinThe story of the animal if explained in two lines – Balbir Singh, the richest man in the country (Anil Kapoor) has a son, Ranvijay Singh (Ranbir Kapoor)Vijay is always hungry for his father’s love. Rich in money, poor in love. And that causes him daddy issues.Vijay is a hot-headed man. He is short tempered and likes to use weapons on small issues.Editor, control. This is not review of Tiger.By calling his son a criminal, Papa Anil Kapoor disinherits Ranbir. He goes to America. [You have gone on a dark path, my son.]But when Papa Balbir is shot, son loses his mind…Ranbir vows to take revenge, the world to ashes, pile up bodies – you can see a Kill Bill in this movie. River of blood is flowing. Ranbir Kapoor is building a mountain of dead bodies.There has been a lot of discussion about the violence of the animal.But if you show the violence, action, bloodshed in the right way, it can become a compelling cinema.Take the example of Quentin Tarantino – showing violence as an art. Django Unchained, Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, Inglorious Bastards – great story, gory violence, but all become cult classics.Animal’s problem is not its unabashed love for violence.
It is an A rated movie. But violence or action is not groundbreaking. You will get better violence and action in Jawan, RRR.So how is this a success? In Animal, father-son dynamic is also shown in detail. Which Anil Kapoor and Ranbir have played brilliantly. In Indian families, father-son relationship is complicated. And this is captured in an exaggerated sense by Animal. Ranbir is great in Animal. No debate about that.Sandeep Reddy has not done anything groundbreaking. No doubt performances are good.But if you want to see father son dynamics, watch Shakti of 1984, directed by Ramesh Sippy, written by Salim JavedAmitabh Bachchan could not forgive papa Dilip Kumar … Why? Because Papa considered law more important than his own blood. Did not deal with kidnappers. Amitabh saves himself from the kidnappers but he can never forgive his father. Shakti is regarded as one of the greatest films in the history of Indian cinema, winning 4 Filmfare awards.If Sandeep Reddy Vanga had made a movie by mixing the emotions of KJo and Tarantino’s actions, then it would have been a groundbreaking movie. But Vanga knew that it wouldn’t work. Vanga knew what the public wanted. And more than the direction, the producer’s brain worked here. He knew that his toxic Kabir Singh was the third highest grossing movie.Critics’ aside, the film earned 380 crores on the box office. So why not bring Kabir Singh’s toxic pro max version in Animal? People will get angry, abuse, feminist froth, reviews will be written, Vanga will be called damaged, debates will be held. Result?An average revenge drama blockbuster …
Maybe all time blockbuster. In the first 4 days, they have already earned 350 crores.The most controversial part of the movie is about Ranbir’s toxic masculinity.And it has nothing to do with the plot line. Kabir Singh’s story had toxicity in the story.Ranbir could have been an action hero without being toxic, sexist. Without impacting story of Animal.But how could that have been controversial? An edgy and safe controversy.No one bans a movie with Chad hero. You don’t know what Chad is?Chad is a young, upper-class, urban male. Alpha male. Superior in strength. Girls melt before him.Be it Kashmir Files or Animal, in 2023, there will be directors for whom a woman is just a goat. Chain them, say whatever you want to say. She will understand. And the woman’s job is just to be a minion. Geetanjali, played by Rashmika Mandana. She was having her engagement. But then Chad Ranbir appears and says, I am an alpha male, you marry me, you have big pelvis, your kids will be healthy. And poets are not real men. We are real men. Come sit in my plane, we will have a honeymoon. Rashmika breaks her engagement with her US-based fiancé. This is called the magic of Chad. And the magic is that the most applause and whistles were for Chad’s actions, not for the action sequences.Ranbir tells Rashmika – I will never cheat on you. He slams his village brothers when he sees that they are having fun with call girls because they are married. After the intermission, he comes to Rashmika and says I am sleeping around with Tripti DimriNo, no, no. Not because she is very hot. No, no, no. He was sleeping with Tripti Dimri for his father. This must be the first time in the world globally that a father has been made an excuse for sleeping around for an extra marital affair. Actually, according to the line, Tripti was part of plan to kill his father … and to unveil that plan he had to get in. That is why Ranbir went on that mission.Logic was his wife forgave him for murders can’t she forgive him for sleeping around?Rashmika is like hmm, I get your point. Then they start kissing and there are many moments like that.Once Ranbir points gun on wife’s mouth to settle an argumentOnce told to lick shoe … and in another scene to stop period drama and think like a man.And this advice was given to his village brothers that men should be held in marriage. Otherwise, the respect goes away Audience is liking this. Vanga has touched the Chads on deeper level.In cinema halls – weak, incapable boys go to see Animal. But they come out as Chad. You can’t put this feeling in any review. You can feel this in a packed movie hall. Vanga has put wet dreams of domination on big screen.Women have been shown their place. And the male audience has shown their love. Animal is like a good political campaign, caters to baser instincts. Packaging is slick with 100 crore budget.
The film taps into that fear and anxiety which people don’t want to talk in the openYou will say now where is freedom of speech? There is artistic freedom in movies. We agree.But because of this artistic freedom – Skirt chasing, stalking, etc. happened – Now, it is finally being banned in Bollywood. But now, toxic masculinity enters the scene. If you remove this element, the movie would have ended in 2-2.5 hours.Because of controversy, clickbait, connection at deeper level, Animal is becoming a blockbuster.Part 2 of Animal may soon be announced. Sex, violence and chad dominance formula will work.Sam Bahadur’s makers also thought… Mary Kom, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, MS Dhoni The Untold Story, Dangal – There are so many movies of superhit sport biopics But in a country where army is so respected there are not as many biopics war movies for example, in Hollywood … Yes, we have Lakshya, Border, Sher Shah but there are no war biopics the army is the reason for this… I’m sorry, it’s a kanoon of this countryLaw says that any movie based on army theme has to go to Ministry of Defence preview committee and get a No Objection Certificate. So, the movie that is made can only be a clean, sanitized movie. Otherwise, it won’t get NOC. Let’s take the example of Dunkirk. It’s an Oscar winning movie. If someone has money and director ability, this movie will still not be made.Because the failures, complexities of army operations cannot be shown. It will not be allowed.Maybe that’s why, despite Meghna Gulzar’s best intentions, Sam Bahadur remains a video textbook about Sam Manekshaw.India has had 2 field marshals – field marshal Cariappa and field marshal Sam ManekshawVicky Kaushal has given his life to play the role of Sam Bahadur. Though the appearance matches, but after watching the movie, we have to admit that Vicky has worked a little too hard. Sam Bahadur did not slouch like he is shown in the movie.And neither does his wit translate in this movie, nor does his complicated relationship with the political class. Sam’s entire life has been put in chapters, which would have suited a web series better. Somewhere, a call was not made to what should be the focus, the central theme of the film. Let me give you Oppenheimer’s example. The entire biopic goes towards that ultimate moment when the world’s first atomic test is conducted. The central narrative theme is not changed chapter by chapter. Bangladesh liberation war could be the central objective Biopics are very difficult to make. And this was a very good opportunity to do something new, to do groundbreaking, but it could not be done. Because somewhere, the movie makers must have thought, Leave it, let’s take an easy route – army plus patriotism …
People will see themselves. Don’t get me wrong. I respect Meghna Gulzar a lot. She has made daring movies like Raazi, Chhapaak and we need these directors. But here, it seems that it’s a go with the nationalistic flow. Songs sung by the army. Surrender of Pakistan. But, like in Vaccine War, Tejas and Mission Raniganj, it was seen often, at least in 2023, we have seen a lot of movies with nationalism strugglingI am not talking about box office. Let’s assume that Sam Bahadur also earns a lot of money. The question is, when will India get war biopics? Will we get Dunkirk, Black Hawk Down, The Hurt Locker? We have enough money and we are not less than the world in terms of VFX.So, if we make a movie with our heart, the audience will mature and watch it without the toxic masculinity and forced patriotism. I know 99% it won’t happen. As long as this formula works it won’t.So which movie do you want to watch? We don’t recommend it here. But if you are going with your family, the answer is very simple – Sam Bahadur.If you want to wake up your inner Chad, your alpha male, your animal, go and watch Animal. But don’t go with papa.
