'Influenced by a film you’re the fool': Amaal Mallik on cinema inspiring Andhra chainsaw attack

The chainsaw attack at a school in Andhra Pradesh has shocked the entire country. Days after the shocking incident, several users have drawn comparisons between the incident and violent films such as Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal, inspiring such acts. A day after director Vanga indirectly hit back at the YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, singer and composer Amaal Mallik has weighed in on the debate.

Condemning the attack, Mallik addressed concerns about on-screen violence influencing young viewers, while strongly condemning the horrific incident. However, he questioned that cinema alone cannot be blamed for someone's actions.

''I understand why people are concerned. Films and music can influence young people, and some kids copy what they see. Filmmakers should think about how they show violence,'' he said.

''But cinema alone cannot be blamed for someone’s actions. Family values, upbringing, the political climate in different states, and the way each person thinks and reacts all matter. People’s experiences and trauma can affect them too. Everyone has good and bad in them, but none of this excuses violence,'' he said.

Speaking about the controversy around Animal, Dhurandhar and other mass entertainers, he said that films should be seen as stories, not instruction manuals.

''I have enjoyed Animal, Kabir Singh, Dhurandhar, KGF and many other films, but I have also had problems with some scenes. A film is a story, and we should know that we do not have to copy everything we see. Many people work together to make a film. These are recent examples too. If social media and today’s moral policing had existed in the 70s, 80s and 90s, people would have found plenty to criticise in films from those years as well.''

Concluding his statement, one user wrote,''If you are getting so influcned by a film you’re the fool. If every film, song or show with violence or questionable content is blamed for people’s actions, then ban Pushpa, KGF, Latent and other comedy shows.''

Sandeep Reddy Vanga hits back at netizens linking Animal to chainsaw attack

Breaking his silence on the controversy, Sandeep Reddy Vanga has hit back hard at his critics who linked his films to the Andhra Pradesh chainsaw attack.

In a strongly worded statement, the Animal director accused his detractors of using a horrific tragedy to settle personal scores, instead of showing empathy for the victims:

''When someone commits a heinous crime, the first response should be empathy & an attempt to understand the larger problem. Not finding a convenient scapegoat in cinema. It is becoming increasingly clear that your concern is not for the victims or their families, but that you're using a horrific tragedy as a dirty excuse to settle your personal scores.''