'Just celebrate films': Mrunal Thakur defends Ranbir Kapoor's 'Animal'
What's the story
At the recent International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) 2024 in Abu Dhabi, actor Mrunal Thakur stood up for her colleague Ranbir Kapoor amid the criticism he faced for his role in Animal.
The Sita Ramam star stressed that Kapoor's versatility should be appreciated, pointing to his performances in both Barfi! and Animal.
"We need to understand that it is the character we are resonating and connecting with," she said.
Actor's defense
'Why can't we appreciate that an actor can...'
During a press interaction before the event, Thakur defended Kapoor by stating, "Let's not forget that Ranbir is also the actor who played Barfi. Why can't we appreciate that an actor can do roles like Animal and Barfi!? Just celebrate films, if you like it, great, if you don't like it, maybe next time."
Film success
'Animal' was a blockbuster hit despite criticism
Despite the controversy, Animal—directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga—was a major hit in 2023, grossing over ₹900 crore. The film featured Kapoor in an aggressive role that drew criticism from some quarters.
The star-studded cast also included Triptii Dimri, Rashmika Mandanna, Bobby Deol, Saloni Batra, Charu Shankar, Anil Kapoor, and Saurabh Sachdeva. It was released in theaters on December 1 last year.
Upcoming project
Meanwhile, Thakur's upcoming film 'Vishwambhara' is set for release
In other news, Thakur is gearing up for her upcoming film, Vishwambhara.
The movie boasts an ensemble cast, including Trisha Krishnan, Chiranjeevi, Janhvi Kapoor, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Ashika Ranganath, and Kunal Kapoor.
It's all set to hit theaters on January 10 next year.
Further, she's speculated to lead a Sanjay Leela Bhansali project with Siddhant Chaturvedi.