Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has reacted to the criticism of films that are allegedly accused of normalising or promoting violence. The director said that blaming movies for incidents of violence is misplaced and compared the argument to holding the Ramayana responsible for kidnappings.

Ram Gopal Varma reacts to film violence debate

On Sunday, Varma took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “Blaming films for rise in violence is like blaming Ramayana for rise in kidnappings”.RGV’s remarks come amid criticism of films featuring violent scenes following a shocking attack at a school in Raptadu, Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh.For the unversed, a 21-year-old man allegedly entered a Class 10 classroom and attacked a 15-year-old girl with a chainsaw. Another student was injured while trying to protect her classmate.

‘Animal’ classroom scene faces renewed criticism

Following the incident, several social media users criticised filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga and revisited a scene from his film ‘Animal’, starring Ranbir Kapoor. In the sequence, Ranbir’s character walks into a school classroom carrying a loaded gun. The scene has once again become a subject of discussion in the wider debate about the portrayal of violence in cinema.

Internet’s reaction

A user on X talking about the incident wrote, “The effect of violent films like ‘Animal,’ ‘Dhurandhar,’ and ‘Toxic’ is now starting to show on children…”While another user added, “Movies like Toxic, Animal, Marco, KGF, Dhurandhar and many others promote extreme violence and make it look like heroism. Brutality is shown as something cool, something to cheer for. Not everyone is mature enough to see these films as just acting. Many people get influenced by what they watch, including adults.”However, some internet users also defended the Ranbir Kapoor starrer, writing, “Animal still remains the most misunderstood bollywood movie ever.”

Ram Gopal Varma’s upcoming films

Meanwhile, Ram Gopal Varma is working on his next directorial, ‘Police Company’, a crime drama starring Harshvardhan Rane. The film also features Fardeen Khan, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Paresh Rawal, Saurabh Shukla, Makarand Deshpande and Ashwini Kalsekar. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on June 4, 2027.He is also associated with ‘Police Station Mein Bhoot’, which stars Manoj Bajpayee marking their reunion after ‘Satya’.