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Bollywood Desk, Delhi Magazine — The debate over the portrayal of women in Indian cinema has flared up again after filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga responded sharply to criticism from Kiran Rao, director and former wife of superstar Aamir Khan. The exchange stems from Rao’s recent remarks on the misogynistic tone and objectification of women in Vanga’s blockbuster film Animal.
The Spark: Kiran Rao Criticizes ‘Animal’
At a recent film literature event, Kiran Rao was asked about her opinion on the portrayal of gender roles in contemporary Hindi films. In her reply, she expressed deep concern about the normalization of toxic masculinity and glamorization of violence and objectification of women in mainstream cinema, pointing specifically to Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal.
“We have to ask ourselves what kind of men and relationships we’re romanticizing. There is a repeated pattern of portraying possessive, violent men as heroes, while reducing women to mute spectators or objects,” Rao reportedly said, without naming Animal directly but clearly hinting at it.
Vanga’s Counterattack
In response, Sandeep Reddy Vanga did not hold back. During a promotional interview, when asked about the criticism from “a noted filmmaker’s ex-wife,” Vanga acknowledged it was about Kiran Rao and defended his artistic choices.
He then turned the tables by bringing up controversial scenes from older Aamir Khan films, such as:
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The song “Khambe Jaisi Khadi Hai” from Dil, which has long been criticized for its sexist lyrics.
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The “objectification tropes” in films like Rangeela and Dil Chahta Hai, where female characters were either hyper-sexualized or given minimal agency.
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He even questioned why certain problematic depictions were overlooked or accepted in Aamir’s era, but are being scrutinized now.
“If I’m being questioned, let’s talk about everything. Let’s talk about those films too, and those songs that didn’t age well. Why was no outrage back then? Cinema evolves, and so does audience sensitivity. But let’s not pretend these issues are new,” Vanga said.
“If Kiran Rao is genuinely concerned about the portrayal of women or moral messaging in cinema, why didn’t she ever question Aamir Khan’s nudity in PK, or objectifying songs in his earlier films?” Vanga asked.
“Are we only allowed to criticize current films because they’re easy targets? Let’s not be selective. Clean your own backyard first.”
Vanga’s comments have opened up a larger conversation about consistency in feminist or progressive critiques within Bollywood. Many observers are now asking why some filmmakers or actors receive public scrutiny, while others are rarely called out—despite having similar content in their past.
Critics have noted that while Animal’s depiction of women is questionable, so too were several mainstream films in the 1990s and early 2000s, including some led by Aamir Khan. Yet Kiran Rao has not previously spoken publicly about those portrayals, even though she was associated closely with that era, both personally and professionally.
