Every filmmaker ‘should have freedom of expression’: Bhumi Pednekar
Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s latest film ‘Animal’ has become a conversation starter, with every viewer having a different opinion about the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer. While some find the film overly misogynistic and violent, for others, it’s a complete entertainer. Recently, Bhumi Pednekar watched the film and shared her opinion on it. She said that though she isn’t a fan of ‘hyper-masculine films’, she feels every filmmaker ‘should have freedom of expression’.
Joining the debate on ‘Animal’, Bhumi said while a film director can say whatever they want to say through their film, it’s on the audience what they take away from it. On being asked about her opinion on the film during an interview with ‘Jist’, Bhumi said, “My genre as an audience is not hyper-masculine films. I get bored while watching them. My genre is rom-com and romance. I enjoy this genre. I don’t understand action films.”
However, she added, “I do feel every filmmaker has the right to self-expression, but how the audience perceives that self-expression is where it becomes tricky. It’s a filmmaker’s prerogative, but as an audience, it’s also on us to see where we are leading with our society.”
Bhumi also opined that Vanga never justifies the actions of Ranbir’s character Ranvijay: “When I look at ‘Animal’, I look at a character who is the avatar of max toxic masculinity. I am addressing the fact that I don’t want my son to become that. I don’t think even the filmmaker is justifying his action anywhere in the film. He is an anti-social element of society.”
As per the ‘Dum Lag Ke Haisha’ star, it’s on the audience to decide from which film they want to draw inspiration, a ‘12th Fail’ or ‘Animal’. “As a filmmaker, you need to have freedom of expression, but as an audience, we need to understand that while watching ‘12th Fail’, you know you have to be like that person and take inspiration from him similarly. You don’t have to take inspiration from that character (Animal’s Ranvijay),” said Bhumi.
