Animal’s People: A haunting account of Bhopal gas tragedy aftereffects through a fictional story and setting

Animal’s People Novel

The novel Animal’s People deals with many significant themes like abuse of human rights whether it is the people coming from the lower sections of society or the differently abled ones, the huge impact of environmental degradation and lastly resilience of human spirit enabling people to fight all odds among others. Indra Sinha truly deserves all the appreciation the book has got. Though first published in 2007 the novel still feels very relevant

The Bhopal gas Leak is one of the biggest tragedies in the history of mankind. Apart from the huge death toll the leak also led to survivors having major health problems like respiratory issues, blindness and other maladies resulting from exposure to toxic gas. Although many years have passed since then the horrors of that period can never be forgotten particularly for the residents of that area. The Bhopal Gas tragedy also had a major impact on both environment and economy of our country.

In 2023 Yash Raj Banners Produced a show called The Railway Men focusing on a few unsung heroes who put their lives at stake saving as many lives as they could on that fateful night. First time director Shiv Rawail did a terrific job in exploring the moral corruption within the political landscape like the chief of the union carbide factory getting away with his sins. The series also presented a realistic picture of the terrible aftereffects.

The Railway Men directed by Shiv Rawail

Indra Sinha’s 2007 novel on the other hand is set in the fictional city of Khaufpura, this place is home to a devasting gas explosion. It goes without saying the place of Khaufpura and the events there resemble the immense tragedy of the Bhopal Gas leak. Coming back to this novel the story focuses on a young man of 19 years. He was born just a few days before the explosion of chemical factory. This young man calling himself Animal walks on all fours with a twisted back. Although born with a terrible condition he never looks for sympathy, in fact he rejects all kinds of sympathy sprouting profanities for most part and obsessing about sex. His life undergoes a significant change with the entry of an American doctor called Elli. Elli wants to open a free clinic for the still suffering townsfolk. This is the brief outline of the very disturbing Indra Sinha novel.

A strong aspect of Animal’s people is how Indra Sinha has written the main character. There is an infectious energy with a never say attitude about this 19-year-old boy. He often becomes a narrator giving the readers an insight into the major divide between the have and have nots in the area of Khaufpura, this young man also represents the lives of many individuals whose life have undergone extreme changes because of the devastating catastrophes like this.

In spite of his language bordering on profanities on numerous occasions there is also a certain endearing quality to him. A lot of dark humor is generated with his character often leaving the viewers in splits. Good examples of the dark humor are the following lines

“Is it kind to remind a blind man that he could once, see? The priests who whisper magic in the ears of the corpses, they’re not saying, “Cheer up, you used to be alive.’ The juxtaposition of the devasting atmospherics and the dark humor has been wonderfully done by Indra Sinha.

Apart from his spunky nature the novel also does a very good in job in exploring how at times he is haunted by the ghosts of the past and a hidden desire to be loved.

As already mentioned, Indra Sinha’s Animal’s people also dwells into numerous socio-political themes. A very good example of this is about the difficulty in achieving social justice, how the government’s need to protect corporate companies makes things very complicated.

The environmental degradation and its terrible consequences also comes out very strong in Indra Sinha’s writings. The novel often feels like a wakeup call for the common man.

Another important part of the novel is the theme of identity. There are some occasions in the novel where our protagonist is seen struggling internally concerning his appearance as an animal however towards the end, he finally does make peace with it. This acceptance of his new identity comes out strongly in the line “Stay four- foot, “I’m the one and only Animal.”

For those who haven’t still read this excellent novel please do read it, Animal’s People is a must read for serious readers.

Increase Of Male Bonding In Mainstream Indian Cinema

From ‘RRR’ to ‘Animal’, an overview of how protagonists are sharing better onscreen chemistry with their male counterparts.

Most directors of mainstream action films hardly give any importance to the female leads. The primary duty of leading ladies has always been looking glamorous and waiting to be flirted or rescued by the heroes.

A recent deviation to this trend is YRF spy films, where Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone did some full-fledged action. Still, they cannot be called substantial parts.

But, of late, the female leads in action films are not even getting their romantic space.

Instead, the male leads bond with themselves rather than the opposite sex. For example, in Pathaan (2023), Shah Rukh Khan shared more chemistry with his nemesis, John Abraham, instead of Deepika Padukone.

Romantic comedies and movies of other genres are, of course, a different matter.

In romantic comedies, female leads usually have a substantial presence. In some movies, they get more screen presence than the heroes.

For instance, Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met (2007) was a huge turning point in the career of Kareena Kapoor. Both her performance and film are remembered fondly by the audience to this day.

Likewise, in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014), which can be described as an ode to the blockbuster Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Alia Bhatt’s Kavya Pratap Singh was much more assertive in her love than Kajol in the original.

Getting back to my original point, in most recent blockbusters — particularly pan-Indian movies, women’s roles have been pretty negligible. These include Salaar: Part 1-Ceasefire (2023), Gadar 2 (2023), and Animal (2023).

The male bonding in these pan-Indian hits consists of different types. In Salaar: Part 1-Ceasefire and the historical fantasy RRR (2022), the focus has been on intense brotherhood.

Salaar: Part 1-Ceasefire

Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran in ‘Salaar: Part 1-Ceasefire’. (X)

In the case of Salaar: Part 1-Ceasefire, the characters of Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran are shown to be close from a young age.

The very first scene of Salaar has Deva (Prabhas) taking on a seasoned wrestler for his friend Varada (Prithviraj).

As the plot progresses, Deva becomes an extremely valuable commander-in-chief for his friend. Their bromance is particularly visible when they both take on some drug-infested zombies and indulge in some hilarious banter.

Expectedly, this became a major highlight of Salaar: Part 1-Ceasefire. Not only were there any major scenes with the women characters, but they were grossly underwritten and mostly left as bystanders.

RRR

RRR is a historical fantasy with a huge hangover of “Amar Chitra Katha“. SS Rajamouli chose the lives of two famous freedom fighters — Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sita Ramaraju (Junior NTR and Ramcharan).

He created a fictional scenario where the paths of these two meet and what happens after that.

In RRR, the two characters are not childhood friends but bond with each other fast while saving a young boy.

This friendship goes through many tests and trials before the ultimate happy ending.

Right from the first frame, it was clear that Rajamouli majorly focused on the bromance aspect. The different stages of their relationship came out well, but the rest was a huge mess.

The romantic angle between Ramcharan and Alia Bhatt’s Sita was pretty much nonexistent. Even the few scenes between them lacked the punch.

Ironically, Alia’s only substantial scene was with Junior NTR when she saved Bheem by pretending to have a deadly disease. The likes of Shreya Saran and Olivia Morris didn’t even get that.

Gadar 2

In Gadar 2Animal, and Jawan, the male bonding is seen as father and son. In the case of Animal, there is also the additional angle of estranged brothers.

Talking about Gadar 2, Sunny Deol’s affection for his onscreen son is the biggest selling point of this blockbuster sequel.

Unfortunately, Ameesha Patel was reduced to either a weeping wife or a mother, depending on the circumstances.

The scenes between Sunny and Ameesha have hardly any scope for romantic chemistry.

Animal

Sandeep Reddy Vanga could have easily named his movie “A Son’s Psychotic Love for his Father” instead of Animal, because nothing else mattered in the flick.

All the women’s characters in the film are redundant, including Rashmika Mandanna’s Geetanjali.

Ranbir Kapoor has intimate scenes with Rashmika and Tripti Dimri, but the actor shares most chemistry with Anil Kapoor’s Balbir Singh and Bobby Deol’s Abrar.

A good example of this can be seen in an emotionally charged fight scene on an airport runway. Both Ranbir Kapoor and Bobby Deol are seen shirtless, and the entire sequence plays out like a romantic ballad. There is a particular moment where they even lie on top of each other.

Jawan and Pathaan

Atlee’s Jawan is essentially a father-and-son drama with a liberal dose of Shankar’s vigilante brand of cinema.

Unlike the abovementioned films, the women characters here are not insignificant. Nayanthara had a meaty role, particularly in the first half, where we see her doing a balancing act — a single mother who is also an NSG officer.

The women in SRK’s vigilante gang also had reasonably fleshed-out parts, particularly Sanya Malhotra.

But the highlight of Jawan is easily the scenes where SRK features as father and son — the emotions are so palpable.

In the other SRK film Pathaan, the male bonding comes out big time when he shares screen space with John Abraham’s Jim. The scenes between John and SRK were cracking — whether it was the banter they indulge in or the big action sequences, which have a lot of grit.

On the other hand, the attempt at creating a romantic chemistry between Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone came as an unnecessary distraction. Even in Jawan Shah Rukh’s chemistry with Deepika was rather cold.

Pushpa

Allu Arjun’s Pushpa does not exactly fall under the category of the abovementioned films because there are some proper romantic moments.

But it has to be said that Allu Arjun’s chemistry with Jagadeesh’s Keshava made a bigger impact. Their bromance can be particularly felt in the song “Srivalli“. Throughout the song, Pushpa asks Keshava whether or not Srivalli has seen him.

This trend might be good for heroes as it is helping them to expand their market like never before, along with a variety of roles. But for the cine-goers and female actors, the scenario is not desirable and needs to change fast.

Ranbir Kapoor And His On-Screen Universe Of Daddy Issues

From ‘Wake Up Sid’ to ‘Animal’, an overview of the different kinds of daddy issues that Ranbir Kapoor’s films have covered so far.

One of the most depicted relationships in cinema is that of a parent and child. Irrespective of the number of times we have seen it — whether it is father and son or mother and daughter, there is something universal about these relationships.

For example, a reason for the success of Jawan (2023) is the double role played by Shah Rukh Khan. The scenes featuring the Bollywood Badshah as father and son were an absolute treat for his fans and movie buffs.

The interval bang when the father saves the son and the subsequent dialogue drew cheers in the cinema halls.

Another example of the father-son bond this year is OMG 2. In the movie, Pankaj Tripathi plays a diehard devotee of Shiva who also runs a pooja shop. Things take a turn when his son gets admitted to a hospital due to exhaustion caused by excessive masturbation.

Things get even more problematic when the youngster’s video of masturbation in the toilet is secretly filmed and circulated on the internet.

For the sake of his son, Pankaj Tripathi’s character slowly changes from a distraught father to a revolutionary.

Coming to Ranbir Kapoor’s relationships with his on-screen fathers, there has always been certain unease in his movies — be it in Animal (2023), Sanju (2018), Yeh Jaawani Hai Deewani (2013), Tamasha (2015), or Wake Up Sid (2009), they all have daddy issues.

It is a well-known fact that Ranbir’s real-life relationship with his father, the late Rishi Kapoor, was not smooth. This might be a factor for the directors to choose him for the roles or Ranbir Kapoor getting attracted to such characters.

Well, let us take a quick look at some of Ranbir’s on-screen father-son problematic relationships:

Animal

In Animal, Ranbir Kapoor’s Ranvijay is the son of a successful industrialist Balbir Singh (Anil Kapoor). Balbir Singh is a typical old-time patriarch obsessed with his factory and has little time for anything else, including his children.

The relationship between Ranvijay and Balbir is strained and goes into a toxic territory as life goes on. The parody here is that Ranvijay loves his father too much but makes him angry at every step.

When a murder attempt is made on his father, Ranvijay gets so obsessed about finding his father’s enemies that he soon becomes a wild animal himself. He doesn’t listen to anyone, including his father.

The most engaging part of Animal is easily these twisted dynamics coupled with how Ranbir throws himself into this dark territory. There is no denying that in most households, there is a certain distance between the father and the son.

However, in this case, director Sandeep Reddy Vanga takes it to an extreme level with little or no care for social repercussions.

Sanju

In Sanju — a biopic on Sanjay Dutt, Ranbir Kapoor played a son who feels immense pressure to live up to the lineage of his illustrious parents — Paresh Rawal (Sunil Dutt) and Manisha Koirala (Nargis). This pressure leads Sanjay to take drugs, among other things.

There is no denying that Rajkumar Hirani did go soft on the transgressions of Sanjay Dutt. But having said that, the emotional upheaval of Sanjay Dutt cannot be denied.

One of the best moments in Sanju is when Ranbir Kapoor writes an apology letter and plans to surprise his dad by reading it publicly.

However, things don’t go according to the plan, and that very night, Paresh Rawal’s Sunil Dutt dies. Ranbir’s Sanjay Dutt ends up reading the letter to his dead body.

In this letter, he talks about how bad a son he has been and the troubles he has caused.

Tamasha

In Tamasha, Ranbir Kapoor plays a son who feels suffocated due to his demanding father. His character (Ved) gets stuck in a typical corporate job while his passion lies somewhere.

There is a certain bipolar nature to Ved, and there are scenes in the second half that focus on the issues of mental health.

In pre-climax, there is a powerful scene between Ranbir’s Ved and Javed Sheikh, who plays the father. It is a confrontation scene that most Indian sons can identify with.

Ranbir Kapoor and Anil Kapoor in ‘Animal’. (X)

In Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Ranbir Kapoor played a free-spirited youngster who constantly seeks thrill.

Late Farooq Sheikh played the father.

Ranbir’s Bunny has an awkward relationship with his father. There are two main reasons for this; one is personality differences between them, and the other is his father’s second marriage.

There are only a few scenes of the father-son relationship, but still, they are impactful.

Wake Up Sid

In Wake Up Sid, Ranbir Kapoor plays a carefree young man who lacks clarity about what he wants to become. There is a laid-back nature to Sid.

Like most fathers, this does not go down well with his father, played by Anupam Kher. Naturally, this leads to a certain amount of friction. These moments are few but still very powerful.

A special mention must be made of the showdown scene that leads to Sid leaving the house and staying for some time with Konkana Sen Sharma’s Aisha Banerjee.

There, he discovers his passion for photography and goes back to his family.

Ranbir Kapoor and Farooq Sheikh in ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’. (X)

Apart from these films, in Ajab Prem ki Ghazab Kahani (2009), the discord between the son and father was used to generate moments of slapstick comedy.

Well, these are some shades of Ranbir Kapoor’s relationships with on-screen fathers. Maybe it is time for the Bollywood actor to take a break from these daddy issues and move on to other subjects!