"Taming the Beast: Balancing Creativity and Responsibility in Animal"

We’ve all heard about the blockbuster film Animal. With its gripping narrative and intense performances, the movie made waves everywhere. But while the movie was lauded by many, it also sparked a significant backlash, particularly among women. Can you blame them? If you’ve endured abuse, how can you possibly enjoy watching it glorified on the big screen?

So, what does this mean for Animal? Is it politically correct, or does it cross a line? Let’s break it down from two perspectives:

The Creative Lens

Movies are, above all, a medium for creativity. They represent ideas, stories, and emotions projected onto a big screen. If filmmakers were confined to producing only socially “acceptable” narratives, wouldn’t that stifle creativity? Animal is, after all, a story about a man who embodies the traits of an “animal” in human form, a villain’s perspective skillfully brought to life. And the film's box office success speaks for itself, doesn't it?

But there’s another side to the story.

 The Moral Lens

Now, let’s talk about the disturbing side of Animal. Watching a man abuse, curse, and belittle and cheat on his wife is far from enjoyable, especially in a country where many women endure similar horrors every day. In India, where emotional and physical abuse against women is all too common, glorifying such behavior can hit a little too close to home. For many women, seeing this kind of portrayal on screen isn’t just uncomfortable—it’s triggering.

The Balance Between Creativity and Morality

So how do you strike a balance between these two lenses—creativity and responsibility? It’s actually simpler than you might think: it comes down to how the movie is promoted. If Animal had been marketed purely as a creative exploration of a villain’s psyche, perhaps the moral outrage wouldn’t have been as intense. 

But here’s where things take a turn. Director Sandeep Vanga went on record in an interview, claiming that “cursing your woman is an expression of love.” Let that sink in for a moment. The man behind a film that reaches millions essentially condoned verbal abuse as a form of affection. That’s not just disturbing—it’s dangerous. In a country where many are working tirelessly to improve the treatment of women, the last thing we need is a popular movie reinforcing toxic ideas about relationships.

If films like Animal are to be accepted, then the least the creators can do is promote them responsibly. Maybe then, the outcry from a moral standpoint wouldn’t have been so overwhelming

In the end, creativity should be celebrated, but not at the cost of normalizing harmful behaviors.