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NDTV
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Did Sandeep Reddy Vanga Talking Nasty About Deepika Padukone Surprise You? (It Shouldn't Have)
It all began with a slap. Before Sandeep Reddy Vanga went national with Shahid Kapoor-starrer Kabir Singh, cinephiles who were into South cinema had got a taste of his filmmaking style with his 2017 debut Arjun Reddy, headlined by Vijay Deverakonda. Both titular protagonists in Kabir Singh and Arjun Reddy are brilliant doctors who can do successful operations while drunk. They are certified rulebreakers with a certain swag that inflates the alpha male ego. When they are not working, falling asleep drinking, they are smoking and creating a ruckus as they wallow in the memories of their lost love, named Preeti in both Hindi and Telugu versions. The two characters express their emotions to their respective Preetis (Shalini Pandey, Kiara Advani) intensely, many a time intimidating them, taking away their agency, and slapping them to show their love. Soon after the release of 2019's Kabir Singh, in an interview with film critic Anupama Chopra, Sandeep Reddy Vanga defended the personal dynamics, saying, "If you can't slap, if you can't touch your woman wherever you want, and if you can't use cuss words, then I don't see any emotion there. Then it's all margins and papers. There's nothing unconditional about it." His defence of these slaps had perhaps the most resounding echo after that of Dilip Kumar's to Anupam Kher in 1986's Karma, notwithstanding the one Taapsee Pannu received at the hands of Pavail Gulati in Thappad (2020) or Chris Rock from Will Smith at the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony. If one were to (begrudgingly) agree with Sandeep Reddy Vanga, in both Arjun Reddy and Kabir Singh, the heroines do get a chance to slap the heroes. And that's where lies his appeal. His brand of macho men and alpha male narrative mirrors that of notorious influencers like Andrew Tate. It is in this manosphere that Sandeep Reddy Vanga and his supporters thrive. Asserting this toxic idea of masculinity in films acts as a vent; even a leeway; to men who really believe that there is nothing wrong in hitting their partners or robbing women of their agency by labelling them as ' meri bandi '. Five years after Kabir Singh, the filmmaker grabbed more eyeballs and legitimacy from the creme de la creme when Ranbir Kapoor, a fourth-generation star from Hindi cinema's 'first family', boarded the cast of Animal. The film went on to become one of the top grossing Hindi films of 2023 despite all the hue and cry around the objectification of women and misogyny, including the infamous 'lick my shoe' scene. After the film became a box office success, Sandeep Reddy Vanga gave an interview to Connect FM Canada in which he took a direct dig at film critics Anupama Chopra, Rajeev Masand, and Sucharita Tyagi, calling them "illiterate" and "uneducated". He also got into a squabble with veteran lyricist-screenwriter Javed Akhtar over the scene. Last year, Javed Akhtar expressed concern about the current state of cinema in an apparent swipe at Animal over the said scene without taking names. The Animal team clapped back at Javed Akhtar, calling his art "false" in an X post. But Sandeep Reddy Vanga couldn't take it when Deepika Padukone reportedly quit Spirit over a host of reasons, including hours of work and remuneration issues. Amid this latest controversy, Deepika Padukone received support from Bollywood star Ajay Devgn. At the trailer launch of his production Maa, Ajay Devgn gave his two cents on the 8-hour work shift demand by new mothers in the film industry. "Most of the honest filmmakers would not have a problem with it. Also, other than new moms working for 8 hours, most people have started working for 8 hours. I think it's person to person, and most of the industry understands," Ajay Devgn at the event. For someone who often tends to offend, hurt, and disgust with both his cinema and comments, the filmmaker lashing out at his critics and industry colleagues is irony at its best. As someone who is well known for being unabashedly vocal about his style of filmmaking and personal beliefs, Sandeep Reddy Vanga's outburst on X against (an unnamed actor, which if reports are to be believed is) Deepika Padukone, doesn't come as a surprise. Especially when a source in these reports claimed that the heroine's character in Spirit is the "most well-written female role in the world of Sandeep Reddy Vanga" (chokes laughing). He was bound to question the actor's feminism, which he did. Sandeep Reddy Vanga is a repeat offender. He is quite like that jilted lover who just can't stomach rejection, whether it's a film critic who speaks up about what is problematic with his films, or informed audiences, or a woman superstar choosing to prioritise her mental well-being and personal life over her career and insane working hours. This is not Sandeep Reddy Vanga's first controversy and this won't be his last. Will he offend people again? Of course. Will we be offended again? The joke's on us if we are.
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
When Shekhar Suman threw out religious idols from his house after son Aayush's death: ' I said that I will never go to the God...'
Actor Shekhar Suman once opened up about the darkest period of his life—the heartbreaking loss of his elder son Aayush, who passed away at just 11 years old due to a rare illness. Shekhar recalled a painful moment when, despite his son's critical condition, a director called him for a shoot. He described how Aayush desperately held onto his hand, begging him not to leave. The tragedy shook Shekhar deeply, leading to a crisis of faith that made him remove all religious idols from his home. Shekhar remembers his late son In an emotional interview with Connect FM Canada, Shekhar recalled the heart-wrenching moments with his son Aayush, holding him tightly and praying for a miracle—only to realize, 'miracles don't happen.' He shared a painful memory when a director asked him to shoot despite Aayush's critical condition. On a heavy rainy day, knowing his son was suffering, Shekhar initially refused but was persuaded by the director, who said it would be a huge loss if he didn't show up. Reluctantly, he agreed. As he was leaving, Aayush gripped his hand and pleaded, 'Papa, don't go today, please.' Shekhar let go with a promise to return quickly—a moment etched deeply in his heart forever. After Aayush's tragic passing, Shekhar Suman experienced a deep loss of faith . In his pain, he closed the temple in his home and removed all the idols, saying he could no longer believe in a God who had caused him such heartbreak by taking away his innocent child. He also revealed how Aayush's suffering had been so intense that even his wife prayed for his release from pain. Shekhar admitted he still hasn't fully recovered and thinks of Aayush every single day. Knowing about Aayush's illness Shekhar Suman has previously opened up about the intense struggle he faced after learning in 1989 that his son Aayush was terminally ill. It felt like his world was falling apart — his career, life, and family all hanging by a thread. He spent countless days holding his son, painfully aware that their time together was limited. In an interview with Entertainment Live, Shekhar revealed that doctors initially gave a grim prognosis of just eight months. Yet, against all odds, Aayush fought bravely and lived for four years instead of eight months. Shekhar Suman revealed that he took his son Aayush to London for advanced treatment but chose to decline a heart transplant because of the associated risks. Feeling helpless was especially tough for him, given his own father's background in medicine. Despite consulting leading doctors worldwide and seeking solace in Buddhism, Shekhar came to accept the painful truth that miracles don't always happen. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
