Actor Rajkummar Rao candidly expressed his opinions on how negative characters are presented in Indian film on Raj Shamani’s YouTube channel. The conversation centered on whether characters like Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal and Shah Rukh Khan’s Devdas are revered or used as cautionary tales. Renowned for his careful approach to movies, Rajkummar defended both films, contending that they are designed to be cautions rather than supports of self-destructive behavior.
Tragic Hero’s Warning: Devdas
Rajkummar spoke about the current discussion on Devdas, a movie whose tragic ending of its major character has drawn both compliments and condemnation. Based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 1917 novel, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Devdas depicts the tale of a privileged man, Devdas Mukherjee (Shah Rukh Khan), whose life collapses from love, drink, and social constraints.
Rajkummar underlined that audiences of Devdas should not be inspired to copy its protagonist. “The film depicts the events after bad decisions made by Devdas. He finally loses all—his house, his family, and finally his life. Rajkummar clarified that this is a warning narrative, not one meant to honor his deeds. He also noted that Devdas has been reinterpreted several times in Bengali film, with each rendition stressing the character’s demise rather than romanticizing his hardships.
Animal: An Investigating Trip Into Darkness
Turning the conversation to Animal, Rajkummar said he finally appreciated the whole experience even though he had some doubts about several features of the movie. Under direction Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Animal stars Ranbir Kapoor in a gritty, intense character that has spurred discussions about how violence and toxic masculinity are depicted in movies.
Rajkummar called Ranbir’s performance “mind-blowing.” He clarified that the title of the movie, Animal, shapes the wild and untamed character expectation. “Not a role model; the audience is meant to witness a darker, more primordial side of mankind. Rajkummar stated the movie is helping you to see the darkness everyone carries rather than to glorify the character.
Managing Glorification and Storytelling
Rajkummar underlined during the discussion the need of directors creating stories that inspire people to consider real-life repercussions. While movies like Devdas and Animal examine the darkest sides of life, he said, their intended use is as warning stories rather than as means of validation for bad behavior.
Rajkummar feels that viewers should approach these tales gently. “The issue is with you, not with the film; if seeing Devdas makes you aspire to be like him. He underlined the need of viewers interacting with these stories carefully, stressing the negative effects of leading such kind of life instead of the advantages.
Final Thought
The way that complicated, imperfect individuals are portrayed stays a hot issue as Indian film develops and changes. Rajkummar Rao’s defense of Devdas and Animal emphasizes the need of seeing these movies objectively and realizing they are investigations of the depths of human feeling and action. Rajkummar’s observations urge young viewers—who frequently turn to movies for role models—to approach movies with a thoughtful and discriminating eye.
