Vivek Agnihotri Compares Himself To Sandeep Reddy Vanga: 'He Speaks Fearlessly, Like Me'

News18

5 hours ago

Last Updated:
Vivek Agnihotri calls Sandeep Reddy Vanga his 'alter ego' and defends the Animal director's portrayal of toxic masculinity.
Known for his candid and often polarising takes, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri recently struck a surprisingly appreciative tone while speaking about three major figures in Indian cinema—Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, and Sandeep Reddy Vanga. In a conversation with Humans of Bombay, the director of The Kashmir Files not only praised their contributions to the industry but also defended Sandeep's controversial brand of storytelling.
Starting with Karan Johar, Agnihotri acknowledged the filmmaker's impact on redefining commercial cinema. 'I really want to praise Karan Johar because he changed the commerciability of commercial cinema. He took it to a different scale. And just like how I am the brand ambassador of my films, he is the ambassador of his films. He is the face of Dharma Productions," he said.
Reflecting on Johar's multifaceted career, he added, 'Earlier, he used to be introduced as a fashion diva and anchor. But, he is a personality to look up to. Secondly, he took his father's business from a boutique production house to a mass production house. He has also given breaks to several talented film directors—Ayan Mukerji, Shashank Khaitan. He has also given break to several stars and star kids. He has created shows for television and OTT. He even changed the scale of award shows by being an anchor. He has done a lot of great things."
On Anurag Kashyap, Agnihotri credited the Gangs of Wasseypur director with reviving the spirit of independent cinema. 'Before him, it was Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani and Prakash Jha. But they too turned into commercial directors. But Anurag has fought a war and he has given break to several small-town boys and girls. He has instilled confidence in people whose war was with English. Today, they believe even they are capable of doing something in life. Several talented people have come from Anurag—both filmmakers, and actors," he observed.
However, Agnihotri also noted what he sees as a creative plateau in Kashyap's journey, 'Despite all these achievements, I personally believe he has not exploited his full potential. Maybe due to his own complexities, he is yet to exploit his full potential. He took a flight, up and quick, and then there was no conclusion to that. He couldn't take his own success to a logical conclusion."
The conversation then turned to Animal and Kabir Singh director Sandeep Reddy Vanga—someone Agnihotri described as his 'alter ego in the industry." 'Sandeep Reddy Vanga is more like my alter ego in the industry. Just like me he speaks fearlessly," he said.
On the persistent criticisms of toxic masculinity in Vanga's work, Agnihotri defended the director's vision.
'People question Sandeep Reddy Vanga for toxic masculinity, but what is really happening in the society? Isn't it the truth? Does your society respect women? It is just his storytelling. He is showing the world to the people from his point of view," he explained.
He further elaborated on the importance of perspective in storytelling, drawing a comparison with his own work and Shekhar Kapur's Bandit Queen. 'Many asked me 'Why did you not show the film from the other point of view?' How can I do that? Why will I show the film from a terrorist's point of view? And how will I even make an attempt at it when I don't even know how they see the world? Even Shekhar Kapur was questioned when he made Bandit Queen from Phoolan Devi's perspective. But, over a period of time, people realised that Bandit Queen was right. After Pahalgam attack, people realised Kashmir Files was right. I am not claiming that I believe in Vanga. I am just saying he has the right to tell stories from his point of view. People who are abusing him, are also using their right. But, at the end of the day, he is laughing looking at his bank."
As a parting thought, Agnihotri suggested that the backlash against Vanga isn't rooted in moral outrage—but envy.
'If his movies will fail, nobody will have an issue. They are having an issue, because it is working for him," he concluded.
view comments
First Published:
August 04, 2025, 22:00 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.