Animal is the story of Ranvijay Singh (Ranbir Kapoor), an alpha male whose ultimate purpose is his unwavering love for his father, Balbir Singh (Anil Kapoor). When his father is attacked, Ranvijay’s rage explodes, propelling him on a relentless quest for revenge. Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga unfolds this narrative with unflinching violence and shock value. Though the film’s story is straightforward, Vanga takes 203 minutes to tell it due to some abstract scenes and sequences. However, Vanga reveals the key to this film in post credit scene where he teases a sequel titled “Animal Park”. Given Vanga’s penchant for shock value, it’s unlikely that the sequel would bear such a gentle title. It also doesn’t quite fit the narrative of a “scarier” sequel. That’s when it hits you: “Animal Park” isn’t necessarily a sequel title, but a pun on “Animal Farm,” a universal symbol for allegory. When viewed through the lens of allegory, the film’s previously abstract scenes and sequences suddenly become laden with meaning.
Kashmir
The film’s allegorical core is revealed through subtle yet powerful symbolism. The lead characters Ranvijay Singh and Geetanjali are introduced back-to-back with 2 Roja songs (a film about Kashmir) to invoke love and Kashmir. After introduction, Ranvijay questions Geetanjali’s consent to marry her fiancé. Geetanjali responds, “Haan, papa ne kaha right choice hai.” Ranvijay then shares his alpha theory, stating that a woman should choose someone who can protect her. Geetanjali chooses Ranvijay. This scene mirrors the historical integration of Kashmir into the Union of India. To further establish Geetanjali as allegory for Kashmir, later in the film he takes her to “Kashmir jaisi” place. In fact, later at night, Geetanjali is sceptical of sleeping in the open area, so Ranvijay assures her and says, “Geetanjali, ye ‘controlled’ location hai, koi nahi aayega. Koi aayega toh goli maar dunga”. Our alpha of the story gives ultimate promise to protect Geetanjali (Kashmir).
Son of the Soil vs Foreign Son
When Ranvijay’s brother-in-law Varun is introduced, there is confrontation between Ranvijay and Varun. This scene plays out with crown (visually in the form of cake) between them. Varun represents here prince of India’s grand old party whom Vanga doesn’t consider real son of India while Ranvijay is the real son of Balbir Singh. Balbir represents India here. Post this confrontation scene, Ranvijay tells her sister that he hates that Varun calls Balbir Singh as papa. According to Ranvijay, and by extension according to Vanga, since Varun is not real son of Balbir, he’ll never be loyal to Balbir Singh. So, Vanga is talking about love for father at surface level and love for the nation at the subtext. After Balbir favours Varun and chooses him, Ranvijay leaves home. He comes back after 8 years when there is attack on Balbir Singh. Ranvijay comes and takes in charge of the family and eliminates Varun. We are almost an hour into the film but the title card “Animal” appears now because alpha of this nation has taken the “centre stage” by removing Rahul, I mean Varun and taking hold of the family and promises that revenge will be taken. In this hyper-reality of Vanga, we are presently somewhere here. Rest of the story forms how Vanga sees the story ahead from our present.
Rise of Ultra Alpha
The Film moves to interval block where Ranvijay is taking delivery of Gatling gun. Without allegory, this block looks unnecessarily long but Vanga here wants to establish what kind of Alpha we need going forward. Gatling gun is delivered by another alpha of sorts. A Marathi dealer who is behaving like an alpha in front of Ranvijay but Ranvijay doesn’t object to it, remains in the background of the scene. Suddenly, there is an attack by the enemy. This is when Vanga unveils his Ultra Alpha through 3 stages of fight. He reveals his inspiration in first stage, the Marathi Manoos, Bal T. He unveils this by borrowing underwear from the Marathi dealer which has roaring tiger printed on it, the original symbol of Bal T. Vanga is so particular about this unveiling that he constructed a convoluted scene just before this scene, so that he can borrow an underwear here. Ranvijay goes on rampage with a gun, accompanied by a Marathi song. In the second stage of fight, Ranvijay takes old world axe to get inspired by folklore of Arjan Velly, which is explicitly revealed through the song. After referencing two Ultra-nationalist heroes, in the third stage, the rise of Ultra Alpha is complete with Ranvijay going all out with a self designed Gatling gun(with explicit reference to Atmanirbhar Bharat). The creation of Ultra-Alpha is complete. We cut to intermission.
Married life, Religion and External Threat
Second half deals with handling married life, religion and the external threat. When there is fight between Ranvijay and Geetanjali, Ranvijay resolves every conflict with him implying that he is in-charge of the relationship and he will always satisfy and protect her. Kashmir is invoked again with a song titled Kashmir to remind the ultimate promise of protection and loyalty to her. Even when Ranvijay indulges in adultery, that’s for bigger purpose and not breach of loyalty. Vanga specifically designs a scene with Pind boys of Ranvijay, to tell Alpha’s foot soldiers that Alpha is not indulging in hypocrisy but he needs to do things for bigger purpose.
Vanga is clear with his views on religion. He is not interested in it much. Ranvijay dismisses his priest/astrologer, yet sits in yagna and goes to church just because his family insists. At this point, even when the ultimate antagonist Abrar(Bobby Deol) is introduced, his religion is more to establish the country he represents in this allegory. Since Abrar is far away brother of Ranvijay, he is our long-lost neighbouring country. Abrar’s introduction is very late and very short for a purpose. In this tight sequence, Vanga establishes that Abrar is also like Ranvijay, an alpha with a purpose of his own. As expected, the ultra-alpha wins over Abrar in the climax battle. Thus, Ranvijay has completed his alpha duty of protecting the father, the nation. In the climax, there is final confrontation between son and father where son tells he did his duty despite him never getting love from his father and father accepts he couldn’t give love because he was busy on duty of providing for the family. Film ends with Ranvijay’s son running back to Ranvijay implying that Ranvijay’s son also loves his father despite Ranvijay not giving love to his son, as Ranvijay was busy with duty of protection.
In the post credit scene, Vanga concurs this cycle of territorial love/violence will not end and there will be a clone of ultra alpha from the enemy and hence be prepared accordingly. In Vanga’s belief system, everything in this world is driven by Animal instinct, there is no place for civility. Hence, Vanga implies, then there are only two options for a nation, you either be predator or else its prey.
