Rashmika Mandanna responds to criticism of her roles in Animal and Pushpa 2: “When you talk about toxicity and masculinity…”

December 14, 2024 - 2:58 PM IST

Actor Rashmika Mandanna’s portrayal as the love interest of two characters—Ranvijay in Animal (played by Ranbir Kapoor) and Pushpa Raj in Pushpa 2 (played by Allu Arjun)—has sparked discussions about her alleged acceptance of the toxic masculinity depicted by these roles. In Animal, her character Geetanjali, and in Pushpa 2, her character Srivalli, are shown in love with alpha males who embody dominant masculinity.

Rashmika Mandanna responds to criticism of her roles in Animal and Pushpa 2: “When you talk about toxicity and masculinity…”

In an exclusive chat with India Today Digital, Rashmika Mandanna shared her thoughts on the criticism surrounding the portrayal of these male characters. She addressed the concerns about how their dominant masculinity is showcased and reflected on her characters' roles in both films.

Rashmika explained, “When a story has been written, it can be written from a man's perspective or a woman's perspective. So, when you write a film from a man's perspective, it becomes a man-led film. If you write a film from a woman's perspective, it becomes a woman-led film. That's the only difference. All of us humans have a good side in us and an evil side in us. Like, that's just being human.”

She also shared advice from her mother and said, “My mom used to say that the only thing differentiating you and me is our egos. Good ego or bad ego. We all breathe the same air, eat the same food, drink the same water. What is so different about you and me? Your physical appearance? Of course, that's how nature is. But it's our egos, right?”

Expanding on the depiction of toxic masculinity in the films, she added, “So, when you make characters also, it's this character you're talking about. What his personality is, what his character is—it's on him. What Pushpa Raj's character's personality is—it's him. It's like, when you talk about toxicity and masculinity and all of that, it's their own personal traits. People like this exist as well.”

Addressing the cinematic liberties taken in both films, Rashmika said, “Of course, you can't go around killing 200 people—you'll be in jail. But that is the cinema part of it. You come to cinema to watch cinema. You come to cinema to be entertained by cinema. That's why we have the numbers we have today.”

Both Pushpa 2 and Animal are box office blockbusters. While Animal earned Rs 915 crores worldwide, Pushpa 2 continues its strong run, grossing over Rs 1,000 crores globally.

Also Read : Kartik Aaryan desires to work with Rashmika Mandanna; lauds her performance in Pushpa 2: The Rule