Rajkumar Rao opens up about glorification of negative characters in films, expresses his views about ‘Animal’ and ‘Devdas’

Actor Rajkummar Rao has addressed concerns about the glorification of negative characters in films, particularly about Shah Rukh Khan’s Devdas and Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal.

In an interview, Rajkummar responded to a question about people relating to Devdas and his self-destructive behaviour. He emphasised that the character is a fictional creation meant to serve as a cautionary tale.

“If you want to become Devdas after watching it, the problem is in you. You have been shown a story that there might be some guy like Devdas. He (Director) isn't asking anyone to become like him, and it's based on a book... It's a character story. He dies in the end. He is telling you if you do this, you gonna die sooner. He is not telling you that he is facing all these, still he is living well and has a lot of money,” he said.

Rajkumar also expressed his admiration for Ranbir’s performance in Animal, acknowledging that while the film had its flaws, he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. He defended the film's title, stating that the director intended to portray a raw and unfiltered story of an ‘animal.’

Rajkumar said, “I loved Animal, the experience of watching Animal. I enjoyed it. Did I have some issues with the film? Maybe. Some scenes here and there, yes. But did I not enjoy the film? Of course not, I enjoyed the film, I enjoyed the experience of watching the film. I loved Ranbir Kapoor in it and his performance in the film was mind-blowing. Rajkummar shared that a film critic said that the film was titled Animal and not Adarsh Purush, as the director wanted to show the story of an animal.”

Animal faced criticism for its depiction of toxic masculinity and misogyny. However, the film was a commercial success, grossing INR 917 crore worldwide.

Rajkummar Rao’s recent film Stree 2 was a hit at the box office, continuing the success of its predecessor. The film featured special cameos by Akshay Kumar and Varun Dhawan.