Karan Johar says he was ‘aroused’ by Animal, calls Ranbir Kapoor-starrer the ‘best’ film of 2023: ‘You can debate about the scenes, but…’

The filmmaker loved the film so much so that he watched it twice, first as a audience member, and later, to study it as a filmmaker. Explaining what he liked about Animal, Karan said, “Suddenly, you have an interval block and the hero is being bashed up and people are singing a song. I am like, ‘Where have you seen a sequence like that? It’s genius’. Then, in the end, two men are going at each other and they play that song and I have tears in my eyes when there is only blood. I felt something is wrong with me, something is wrong with him (Vanga) but something put together is very right about this film.”

Also read | Sunny Deol stormed out of the theatre during Animal climax, admits he has his problems with the blockbuster film: ‘When I saw Bobby being killed…’

Showering praise on Vanga, Karan called his vision “distinct and individualistic”. For him, the success of Animal is “game-changing.” He continued, “It’s going to bring in a tone and syntax which doesn’t exist. What I love about Sandeep, he has a popular song, he plays it and he stops it whenever he wants to, he taxes it when he wants to, he cuts the scene when he wants to, it’s like he is telling his story with such conviction. That’s the conviction I believe I also want to have and I had when I was making Rocky Aur Rani.”

Animal examines a toxic father-son relationship, where the son goes on a vengeful rampage after an assassination attempt on his father. It stars Ranbir Kapoor, along with Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Triptii Dimri and Rashmika Mandanna in pivotal roles.

Dismissing the debate around the film’s depiction of misogyny, Karan Johar concluded, “You can debate about it, you can debate the politics, the scenes, but I am aroused and engaged by the cinema of this film. You get into the nitty-gritty of every film, and you can find flaws and red flags, but for me, the biggest green flag is the talent of this man who has conceptualised this film. I have seen so many good films this year, but the only film which taught me something was this film.”

Also read | ‘Ranbir Kapoor asked co-stars to predict how much Animal would earn, Anil Kapoor said Rs 350 cr’: Producer Pranay Reddy Vanga on film’s box office success

Karan also delivered a hit in 2023 with Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. The romantic drama was headlined by Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Shabana Azmi and Dharmendra.

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