Farhan Akhtar Reacts To Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Alpha Male’ Role In Animal: ‘Nothing Should Be Off-Limits’

Farhan Akhtar recently shared his thoughts on the rise of “alpha male” characters in modern cinema during an interview with YouTuber Raj Shamani. When asked about his take on Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Animal’, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, and how it compares to the portrayal of male characters in his own films like ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, Farhan emphasized the importance of creative freedom in filmmaking.

Farhan firmly believes that every filmmaker has the right to create their vision without external constraints. He stated, “I don’t believe that some things should not be shown. We are in a field where, if someone tells me, ‘You can’t make a film like this’, then I’ll be like, ‘Who are you to tell me what I should and should not make?’ I am permitted by the laws of this country, and I have the freedom of artistic expression to say whatever I want. What the audience wants to listen to, that they’ll decide. I’d never ever tell any filmmaker or writer or producer or anyone, ‘Yaar don’t make this’, or, ‘This kind of movie can’t be made’. To each their own, because I don’t feel that’s right and that’s a dangerous thing to do.”

When the conversation shifted to whether women are more drawn to “alpha male” characters, Farhan acknowledged that people are attracted to different types of personalities. He explained, “There are different types of people in the world. There are people fascinated by different kinds of human beings. So, I am sure there are people who find ‘alpha males’ (attractive).” Despite facing criticism for its portrayal of gender politics and the glorification of male dominance, ‘Animal’ became a blockbuster hit.

Farhan also shared his definition of an “alpha male,” describing it as someone who strives to be at the top, leading the pack. He said, “An ‘Alpha’ means you want to be at the top of the pyramid. That’s basically what ‘alpha’ means. ‘Alpha male’ is the leader of a pack. That you want to be the leader of a pack… The minute you get into the discussion of ‘I am better than you’, ‘I am stronger than you’, ‘I am braver than you’, ‘more courageous than you’, I am sure there are actually people like that also, in terms of they’ll be good at dealing with certain situations better than others.”

He added, “But it is not something an alpha male will need to impress on someone. If I have to go around banging a drum and telling people that ‘I am the bomb’, what kind of bomb are you when you have to go everywhere and tell people that? People should feel it when they interact with you, when they speak to you, when they leave the room, when they are impressed by you. Not because you have told them, when you go out, ‘Be impressed’. It doesn’t work that way. You have to treat people with dignity. Every single person in your life should feel like an important part of your life.”

According to a report in Peepingmoon.com, Farhan will now be focusing on his acting role. He will be starring in an action entertainer that will be helmed by Dhaakad director Razneesh Razy Ghai. The film will reportedly go on floors in June. While the film’s details haven’t been revealed much, it is being said that the project is immensely special for Farhan as it immediately caught his attention inspiring him to end a three-year break from acting after Toofaan.