When he was asked about his take on Animal’s narrative and its controversial depiction of alpha males, Tota told DNA that when he watches a film as a viewer he either says he liked or didn’t like it. He insisted that he has never said ‘Yeh karna chahiye. Yeh hona chahiye. Yeh sahi aur yeh galat’.
“I’m not saying that. Who am I to speak on behalf of others? And certainly, who am I to tell others how to make a film, and what to make as a film? That’s dictatorial. This isn’t the right way. I can put across my views in a very civil way. But I can’t tell a filmmaker ‘aapne galat kiya hai’. This is not what it should be,” he added.
Tota then revealed that he has watched Animal and admitted that there are portions which he does not agree with but there are some scenes that shook him. He said that some scenes were brilliantly put across and actors have also done a brilliant job, adding that he can understand why the film has done such kind of business.
Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Rashmika Mandanna, Triptii Dimri and others attend ‘Animal’ success bash
He also believes that if a movie does such kind of numbers, then it is certain that a huge audience has watched the film. “While we are dissing the film and criticising it, this fact of a movie bringing such numbers should also be appreciated,” he added.
The actor also supported Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s vision in making Animal, mentioning that he also understands why many people have problem with the subject and depiction of women.
“But we can have civil debate about it. What we can’t or shouldn’t say is how a filmmaker should approach his film. Now that’s dictatorial. As a member of the creative fraternity, I support the film, because, tomorrow somebody will tell me ‘Nahi Rocky aur Rani toh aisi banni chahiye thi.’ That’s not the way. A lot of things have been said about Animal. Some good, some very bad. But my thought about this is a film is the director’s prerogative, and nobody else’s,” Tota concluded.