In the last couple of years, Bollywood has produced a couple of extremely violent films. For instance, Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 2023 blockbuster family crime drama Animal, starring Ranbir Kapoor, and Nikhil Nagesh Bhat's Kill, starring newcomer Lakshya, which released last year. In an interview with Faye D'Souza, Kill co-producer Guneet Monga addressed how the violence in her film is different from that in Animal. (Also Read: Guneet Monga reacts to her film Anuja making it to the shortlist for Oscars 2025. Here’s what she said)
Guneet on Animal
“It is a theatrical experience. I was jaw-dropped. The action scenes and everything are obviously beautifully shot, with great music and everything. It's a different style of filmmaking. I'd not agree with the choice of story because, yes, misogyny was… it was very difficult to see women's bodies being constantly objectified. It's a choice, how you choose to tell the story. I believe to each their own. Animal came and did really, really well. People enjoyed it, and I admit I watched it in cinemas and it was a theatrical experience. I dislike the misogyny of it. I like the action sequences of Animal,” said Guneet.
Produced by Bhushan Kumar's T-Series, Animal starred Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Shakti Kapoor, and Prem Chopra, among others. It earned over ₹900 crore at the box office worldwide and more than ₹600 crore in India.
Guneet on Kill
Guneet admitted that Kill was also touted as “India's most violent film” as it wears violence on its sleeve. “There was a lot of conversation on how we look at violence, how we treat violence, and how women are shown in the film. I'd say more power to our director, Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, who was always on board. All his films, even with Apurva (2023) if you see, how the women are shot, how you choose to show bodies in a certain way. We are focusing on the craft. Of course, action is happening. Killings are happening. But there was a very beautiful review that said, ‘Kill is a film that loves and hates its action in equal measure.' The intention was that yes, we come in the extreme violence genre, but in the end, those lines were blurred. There's actually a dialogue in the end: ‘Tu rakshak nahi raakshash hai,’ which is a lens back to ‘An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.’ So we didn't glorify any of the blood scenes. There was no slow-motion of blood, there was no celebration of violence,” added Guneet.
{{/usCountry}}Guneet admitted that Kill was also touted as “India's most violent film” as it wears violence on its sleeve. “There was a lot of conversation on how we look at violence, how we treat violence, and how women are shown in the film. I'd say more power to our director, Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, who was always on board. All his films, even with Apurva (2023) if you see, how the women are shot, how you choose to show bodies in a certain way. We are focusing on the craft. Of course, action is happening. Killings are happening. But there was a very beautiful review that said, ‘Kill is a film that loves and hates its action in equal measure.' The intention was that yes, we come in the extreme violence genre, but in the end, those lines were blurred. There's actually a dialogue in the end: ‘Tu rakshak nahi raakshash hai,’ which is a lens back to ‘An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.’ So we didn't glorify any of the blood scenes. There was no slow-motion of blood, there was no celebration of violence,” added Guneet.
{{/usCountry}}Kill, co-produced by Guneet's Sikhya Entertainment and Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, also starred Raghav Juyal and Tanya Maniktala. It was distributed in the US by Lionsgate.
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