Varma Hits Back at Critics Linking Animal to School Attack

Mumbai, November 1: Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has questioned the logic of blaming movies for real-world violence. Sharing his views on X on Sunday, he said the anger often directed at films with violent themes is misplaced.

His post read, "Blaming films for rising violence is as absurd as blaming the Ramayana for rising kidnappings."

The debate was triggered by a chilling attack at a school in Rapthadu, Ananthapur district of Andhra Pradesh. Police say Hemanth, 21, entered a Class 10 classroom and attacked a 15-year-old girl with a chainsaw.

While trying to save her classmate, another student named Lakshmi was also injured. Initial investigations suggest the accused had been stalking the girl for a considerable period. He allegedly attacked her after she rejected his proposals.

The injured girl is undergoing treatment at Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru, and her health is said to be stable.

After the incident, several internet users criticised director Sandeep Reddy Vanga. They referred to a scene in his film Animal, featuring Ranbir Kapoor, where the actor storms into a school classroom with a loaded gun. The scene has since returned to the centre of online discussion.

One social media post said, "When Dhruv Rathee accused Aditya Dhar and Sandeep Reddy Vanga of promoting violence and propaganda through films like Dhurandhar, right-wing supporters responded with abuse. Now we are witnessing the outcome of normalising hatred and glorifying violence. In India, questioning cinema is treated as a greater crime than questioning the mindset these films encourage."

Another user commented, "Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal has a scene where Ranbir Kapoor enters a classroom with an AK-47. This is the result of such films. When will filmmakers like Vanga and actors like Ranbir Kapoor be held responsible for corrupting young minds?"

A third person wrote, "It is genuinely frightening to witness such real-life horrors and then see people defending Sandeep Vanga, who presents excessive and unrestrained violence as masculine or alpha behaviour. This glorifies the madness and is eroding our basic human values."

Varma has been an outspoken supporter of Animal's director, repeatedly praising Vanga and his filmmaking approach in public. Vanga, meanwhile, considers Varma his idol.

The accused has been traced and taken into custody in Dharmavaram.