Chamkila Vs Animal
Chamkila vs Animal
By Anuradha Dev
What has changed in thirty-six years?
Last December, I was the first in line to judge the people who were part of the movie Animal, especially Sanjeev Reddy Vanga. How can a filmmaker be so irresponsible? How can he make a violent, misogynistic and crude man a hero, a man all the young boys want to be like? I'd heard the numbers the movie was doing, and just on principle, I didn't watch it. I didn't want to add a number to the statistics. I know how laughable it is, but honestly, I didn't even want to watch the movie after hearing so much noise around it. Also, I made it my mission to discourage others, especially the teenagers I had acquaintances with, from watching the movie. Not that they listened to me. After all, teenagers are infamous for doing precisely what they're told not to do. Not their fault.
I'm a writer myself, but I am a reader first. I've been reading romances longer than I've been reading the reviews, and I am surprised by how many of my favourites in the past have been ripped apart by the reviewers. Coleen Hoover, who used to be my automatic buy, is accused of romanticizing domestic abuse; Penelope Douglas, who wrote the unputdownable 'The Bully' glorifies toxic relationships, and Julia Quinn, with her swoony Bridgeton series, mocked the concept of male consent in the most problematic way. Wtf! I was thoroughly entertained when I read those books a few years back.
When I read romance, I want to be in the shoes of the heroine, who the hero sweeps away through flirtatious banter and a mind-blowing body. I know how politically incorrect this statement is, but the fact remains that the heart wants what it wants.
My unwise, unwoke, and uncivilized heart wants to be treated to sexist and naughty repartee between the leads. However, interestingly, this preference remains only in my reading. In real life, I wouldn't give time of the day to an openly sexist guy. But aren't these romance books with toxic heroes high on the bestseller lists? Maybe because we want a better society, all the antisocial tendencies we are born with as humans,need an outlet. Humans are imperfect, so why couldn't entertainment be?
There is some truth in the allegation that it's tough to be a creative person today. There is an extreme dearth of tolerance and people will tear down someone's creative piece into shreds without mercy. Artists must have exceptionally thick skin to express themselves as they want.
The movies Animal and Amar Singh Chamkila remind me of my reading preferences because Sandeep Reddy Vanga and Chamkila are immensely popular artists for the masses, who are also judged brutally by the classes. As Chamkila said, 'Duniya mein chote log zyada hote hai', the classes should let the artists cater to the masses and not try to dictate what entertainment an adult should consume.
Chamkila's songs talked about women and sex in the most scandalous ways. No relationship was sacred, and no metaphor was far-fetched. He revelled in shocking people into laughter. His strength was his uninhibited language. Chamkila's life might not have been too scandalous, but he never shied away from writing sexily about any relationship under the sun. His popularity could be a study of basic human nature, that deep down is attracted to whatever is taboo, much like teenagers. Truthfully, humans never grow up. The basic instinct always remains the same; some classy people keep it under wraps, but most people(Chote Log) relish the idea of what isn't allowed.
Why would boys clap at Ranbir's illogical rants about periods, making Tripti Dimtri lick his shoes, and shooting in the school? Maybe deep down, they want to do the same to someone, and they know they shouldn't. Storytelling is all about relating to the audience. If a story connects with the audience on some level, it has all the right to be told. And people like me, who have a problem with it, should stay away.
On one hand I agree with Jawed Akhtar when he says it’s a cause for concern when men celebrate insulting women and putting them in their place, but targeting the creator is the easy solution. He’s only making what he knows audience wants. He’s reflecting the society we’re living in which is misogynistic and patriarchal. Despite all the changes since the times when Chamkila lived and the times of Vanga, most men will always secretly think of all women as sex objects and want to establish their superiority on them. What did killing Chamkila accomplish? Did men learn their lesson? Did people stop listening to his songs. He’s still the most popular singer of Punjab.
After years of observing social media, I consider myself a woke consumer of entertainment. A person who likes to watch content that delivers a relevant message to society. A message that would make the world a better place. But I also remember when I loved reading romances about protagonists with perfect bodies and incessant banter because I enjoyed being part of the story. This doesn't mean I wanted to be in a relationship in which I was fighting all the time. No! God forbid! Doesn't the fact that what we like to watch or read for entertainment and what we do in real life don't match at all count for an argument favouring freedom of creativity?
Watching Chamkila trying to please the bullies of society and still ultimately dying at their hands made my conscience bleed for him. I felt like a hypocrite later for my stand on 'Animal', much like the reviewers who were all praises for 'Chamkila' but had taken Sandeep Reddy Vanga's movie as a personal attack on themselves. Creative people shouldn't be scared to express themselves. Isn't that the ultimate goal of an artist? Haven't the most acclaimed artists been the ones who never cared about anyone's opinion of their art and created what satisfied them? It's a pity that when an artist has found fearlessness inside them, the keepers of society try to stifle them and then ultimately kill them for being uninhibited. Their motivation might be the cheers and whistles of the masses, but it doesn't take away from these creators' ability to say what they want without fear of judgment. I'll still not watch 'Animal', but watching 'Chamkila' changed me, so I don't judge Vanga for making something he wanted to and people for loving it anymore.
Movies and books have the power to change minds, but that's not their only purpose. Entertainment is high on the list, and nobody has the right to trivialize it. Let filmmakers and adult audiences decide what they want to make and see.
By Anuradha Dev
What has changed in thirty-six years?
Last December, I was the first in line to judge the people who were part of the movie Animal, especially Sanjeev Reddy Vanga. How can a filmmaker be so irresponsible? How can he make a violent, misogynistic and crude man a hero, a man all the young boys want to be like? I'd heard the numbers the movie was doing, and just on principle, I didn't watch it. I didn't want to add a number to the statistics. I know how laughable it is, but honestly, I didn't even want to watch the movie after hearing so much noise around it. Also, I made it my mission to discourage others, especially the teenagers I had acquaintances with, from watching the movie. Not that they listened to me. After all, teenagers are infamous for doing precisely what they're told not to do. Not their fault.
I'm a writer myself, but I am a reader first. I've been reading romances longer than I've been reading the reviews, and I am surprised by how many of my favourites in the past have been ripped apart by the reviewers. Coleen Hoover, who used to be my automatic buy, is accused of romanticizing domestic abuse; Penelope Douglas, who wrote the unputdownable 'The Bully' glorifies toxic relationships, and Julia Quinn, with her swoony Bridgeton series, mocked the concept of male consent in the most problematic way. Wtf! I was thoroughly entertained when I read those books a few years back.
When I read romance, I want to be in the shoes of the heroine, who the hero sweeps away through flirtatious banter and a mind-blowing body. I know how politically incorrect this statement is, but the fact remains that the heart wants what it wants.
My unwise, unwoke, and uncivilized heart wants to be treated to sexist and naughty repartee between the leads. However, interestingly, this preference remains only in my reading. In real life, I wouldn't give time of the day to an openly sexist guy. But aren't these romance books with toxic heroes high on the bestseller lists? Maybe because we want a better society, all the antisocial tendencies we are born with as humans,need an outlet. Humans are imperfect, so why couldn't entertainment be?
There is some truth in the allegation that it's tough to be a creative person today. There is an extreme dearth of tolerance and people will tear down someone's creative piece into shreds without mercy. Artists must have exceptionally thick skin to express themselves as they want.
The movies Animal and Amar Singh Chamkila remind me of my reading preferences because Sandeep Reddy Vanga and Chamkila are immensely popular artists for the masses, who are also judged brutally by the classes. As Chamkila said, 'Duniya mein chote log zyada hote hai', the classes should let the artists cater to the masses and not try to dictate what entertainment an adult should consume.
Chamkila's songs talked about women and sex in the most scandalous ways. No relationship was sacred, and no metaphor was far-fetched. He revelled in shocking people into laughter. His strength was his uninhibited language. Chamkila's life might not have been too scandalous, but he never shied away from writing sexily about any relationship under the sun. His popularity could be a study of basic human nature, that deep down is attracted to whatever is taboo, much like teenagers. Truthfully, humans never grow up. The basic instinct always remains the same; some classy people keep it under wraps, but most people(Chote Log) relish the idea of what isn't allowed.
Why would boys clap at Ranbir's illogical rants about periods, making Tripti Dimtri lick his shoes, and shooting in the school? Maybe deep down, they want to do the same to someone, and they know they shouldn't. Storytelling is all about relating to the audience. If a story connects with the audience on some level, it has all the right to be told. And people like me, who have a problem with it, should stay away.
On one hand I agree with Jawed Akhtar when he says it’s a cause for concern when men celebrate insulting women and putting them in their place, but targeting the creator is the easy solution. He’s only making what he knows audience wants. He’s reflecting the society we’re living in which is misogynistic and patriarchal. Despite all the changes since the times when Chamkila lived and the times of Vanga, most men will always secretly think of all women as sex objects and want to establish their superiority on them. What did killing Chamkila accomplish? Did men learn their lesson? Did people stop listening to his songs. He’s still the most popular singer of Punjab.
After years of observing social media, I consider myself a woke consumer of entertainment. A person who likes to watch content that delivers a relevant message to society. A message that would make the world a better place. But I also remember when I loved reading romances about protagonists with perfect bodies and incessant banter because I enjoyed being part of the story. This doesn't mean I wanted to be in a relationship in which I was fighting all the time. No! God forbid! Doesn't the fact that what we like to watch or read for entertainment and what we do in real life don't match at all count for an argument favouring freedom of creativity?
Watching Chamkila trying to please the bullies of society and still ultimately dying at their hands made my conscience bleed for him. I felt like a hypocrite later for my stand on 'Animal', much like the reviewers who were all praises for 'Chamkila' but had taken Sandeep Reddy Vanga's movie as a personal attack on themselves. Creative people shouldn't be scared to express themselves. Isn't that the ultimate goal of an artist? Haven't the most acclaimed artists been the ones who never cared about anyone's opinion of their art and created what satisfied them? It's a pity that when an artist has found fearlessness inside them, the keepers of society try to stifle them and then ultimately kill them for being uninhibited. Their motivation might be the cheers and whistles of the masses, but it doesn't take away from these creators' ability to say what they want without fear of judgment. I'll still not watch 'Animal', but watching 'Chamkila' changed me, so I don't judge Vanga for making something he wanted to and people for loving it anymore.
Movies and books have the power to change minds, but that's not their only purpose. Entertainment is high on the list, and nobody has the right to trivialize it. Let filmmakers and adult audiences decide what they want to make and see.
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