Mr. Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Get Well Soon

So making a glorified misogynistic film twice was not enough for Sandeep Reddy Vanga that he ended up revealing to the world that he is actually a closeted Kabir Singh/Arjun Reddy. So far the makers and the people who loved his film were defending it by saying it’s a cautionary film that preaches against going down the wrong path.

However, going by Vanga’s comments in his recent interview with Film Companion, it is clearly evident that the film is anything but cautionary. In fact, it won’t be wrong to say that Vanga’s film is his ode to the “die-hard lover” that he thinks Kabir Singh is. And of course, it goes without saying that for him, Kabir Singh/Arjun Reddy is an epitome of a true lover. He is someone we all should worship because whatever idea of love and lover we all have had so far is utterly wrong! Right, Mr Vanga?

According to Vanga, the critics and people, who bashed his film for romanticizing its troubled hero, are all pseudo-intellectuals. In Vanga’s own words, these people have never experienced love in the right way. In case you feel I am exaggerating (or have not watched his interview yet) this is his exact words- “When you are deeply in love, there’s a lot of honesty in it. If you don’t have the physical demonstration of love, if you don’t have the liberty of slapping each other then I don’t see anything there.” Sorry, Mr. Vanga, I don’t know what bizarre school of thought you belong to, but one thing is for sure, love is never abusive no matter what.

From the entire interview, one thing is for sure that Vanga can’t take criticism. He is the first filmmaker that I have come across who blatantly said that now after receiving so much of “bizarre criticism” he will make a film especially to get back at critics. Not even once he admitted that there’s any problem in the way he has showcased his lead actor’s behaviour towards anyone in the film.

When asked about a scene in which Kabir Singh goes in Preethi’s classroom and warns everyone to not even dare to look her way because she is his ‘bandi’, Vanga has another amazing analogy to justify this scene. He explains that when two people decide to get married they call over 200 people to witness their union, so it’s just the same in that scene as well. Seriously?

Looks like the word ‘consent’ doesn’t exist in Vanga’s dictionary as well. How can he even think of comparing these two poles apart scenario? I know everyone’s mind must have gone numb after hearing what he had to offer as an explanation.

He also pointed out how people lauded Ranbir Kapoor’s aggressive behaviour with Sonam Kapoor in ‘Sanju’, but are unnecessarily bashing his film. Mr. Vanga, let me tell you ‘Sanju’ is yet another problematic film which was bashed for white-washing its Sanjay Dutt’s image, so please don’t even compare these two films.

Just like his film, Vanga’s utterly problematic views presented in this interview too garnered criticism from all the sensible souls out there. One of them was actress Kubbra Sait, who slammed Vanga in a very witty way.

This is what love will look like if men and WOMEN are taught that slapping is being emotional.
? Man @GOLDIEBEHL ?? pic.twitter.com/VTC5SkrR8r

— Kubbra Sait (@KubbraSait) July 7, 2019

Now check this post by ‘Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota’ actor Gulshan Devaiah

Hello Mr @imvangasandeep maybe you are pissed off & that’s why you’re saying what you are but now I am pissed too ..so here is how I articulate my pissed off ness to you “?” #FCPostmortem guess I am never getting work from your side but I ll survive

— “SuperGullu” (@gulshandevaiah) July 6, 2019

Vanga then went into damage control mode and said that he was misquoted and also certain portions of his comments were edited out of the video interview. Whatever he said in the interview, were the views of his film’s protagonist and not his.

I just can’t understand how can he assume everyone to be so dumb that they can’t see what is wrong and what is right? I wonder if he is even listening to himself when he talks?

“Critics are parasites who will hamper the filmmaking process with their view”- this is another gem of an observation made by Vanga. The filmmaker went on to add that these people (the one who abhorred his film) don’t understand the difference between describing and objectifying a person. He was saying this to justify the scene where Arjun asks Preethi to sit with a plump girl in her college. Because according to Kabir’s genius (read pea sized) brain, “fat chicks” and “pretty chicks” make for good friends.

Mr Vanga if this is your idea of describing people then let me introduce you to my way of describing a person like you. Mr Vanga your views clearly states that there is some severe ‘Chemical loccha’ going on in your head. And I am praying that you alongwith all the Kabir Singhs and Arjun Reddys out there, GET WELL SOON. Yes, you all are suffering from a disease which is a major threat if we want to be a progressive and sensitized society who values equality.

And instead of showcasing my ‘pure’ emotions (According to Vanga, ‘anger’ is the purest emotion) I am simply wishing that better sense prevails upon him and also those people who failed to see the problems in his films.

In case you think that I am going overboard, then you can check out Sandeep’s interview below:

Last but not least, it’s so disappointing that an actor of Shahid Kapoor’s calibre endorsed a film that is blatantly propagating toxic masculinity. Shahid even went on to share the above interview on his handle by writing, “For all those who would want to know the mind behind Kabir Singh.” So doesn’t that means he clearly has no problems with Vanga’s violent and sexist version of love?

Shahid, if box office success is all that matters for an actor like you, then I am sorry for assuming it otherwise. I am sorry that I thought of you as an actor with a conscience. And I am extremely sorry for expecting you to be responsible enough to understand the implications of the actions undertaken by the characters you portray on-screen.

Also Read: Thank you Sandeep Vanga for giving us a gem of a film like ‘Kabir Singh’

Pooja Sharma

Cinephile. Bibliophile. Pluviophile. Selenophile. Autophile. Aesthete. Blood group- Tea positive. Poetry lover. Sucker of rom-coms.

PS: Sharmaji ki Ladki sucks at writing bios.
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