'Blindfolded by love,' say netizens as Rashmika Mandanna defends Sandeep Reddy Vanga's leading men in films

At the Animal trailer launch in New Delhi, Rashmika Mandanna defended director Sandeep Reddy Vanga's earlier films, Arjun Reddy and subsequent Hindi remake Kabir Singh. Her views, however, has caught some ire on social media.

Hyderabad:After Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna has spoken in defense of Sandeep Reddy Vanga's previous film Arjun Reddy headlined by Vijay Deverakonda. Mandanna, who is rumored to be dating Vijay, shared her perspective on the film during the recent trailer launch event for Sandeep Reddy Vanga's upcoming movie Animal, where she plays a lead role alongside Ranbir. Rashmika's remarks seemingly irked a section of social media users who opined that the actor is 'blinded by love' as she dubbed the problematic narratives in Vanga's films 'unapologetic real'.

Helmed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Arjun Reddy featuring Vijay Deverakonda and Shalini Pandey, garnered both immense popularity and criticism for its depiction of toxic masculinity, misogyny, and violence upon its release in 2017. Two years later, the film got a Hindi remake in Kabir Singh and garnered similar reactions despite commercial success.

Mandanna, known for her role in Geetha Govindam, defended Arjun Reddy, highlighting its intense narrative but contesting that it wasn't inherently violent. She drew parallels between Animal and Arjun Reddy, commending Vanga for his unapologetic approach and refusal to dilute content for the screen.

"When I watched Kabir Singh or Arjun Reddy, I didn't think they were violent films. They were high in intensity. The same is with Animal, where you see a little bit of violence. The film is also high in emotions. Sandeep, as a director, is an unapologetic real. People sugarcoat things for the screen, he doesn't do that," said Rashmika at an Animal trailer release event in New Delhi.

Soon after Rashmika's videos defending Sandeep Reddy Vanga's leading men surfaced online, netizens flooded social media with varied reactions. Apparently, her views on Vanga's previous films did not go down well with social media users who opined that she is "blinded by love" hence she is defending the films which were severely criticised for aggression towards women and misogynistic narratives.

Earlier in an interview with an international webloid, Ranbir Kapoor also praised Arjun Reddy, describing it as 'incredibly powerful and impactful.' The actor said his interest in Animal was primarily driven by its script, his role in the film, and the opportunity to collaborate with Vanga.

Animal is touted to be a crime thriller exploring the dynamics of a father-son relationship and boasts an ensemble cast including Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Shakti Kapoor. The team is busy with film's promotions ahead of its December 1 theatrical release across Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, and Kannada languages. Animal will lock horns with Vicky Kaushal's Sam Bahadur at the box office.