Amid Animal controversy, Shah Rukh Khan's old statement on treating women in films goes viral

Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga's latest movie Animal, as expected, is fast becoming the most controversial film of the year 2023. The film, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna in the lead roles, is facing a wave of criticism for the way it treats its women characters. Many have slammed the narrative's regressive nature and accused it of blatantly propagating patriarchal views by glamouring toxic masculinity.  

An old interview featuring Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has resurfaced on social media and is gaining a lot of traction, adding a new layer to the pop-cultural debate surrounding Animal. 

In the now-viral clip, SRK explains a personally-imposed cardinal rule that he would never violate in his career as an actor and producer - mistreating women in his films. He also reasoned that his chivalry, both on and off the screen, was one of the main reasons that made him such a successful romantic hero. 

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"In the last 15-20 years, we may not have had a lot of women-dominated films. Those are smaller-budget films. To me, it's a genuinely personal issue when a woman is not being portrayed rightly in a film. I would never do a film (like that) as an actor or producer. Yes, you can be naughty, persuade her and try a few jokes, but overall a woman's treatment in the film should be top-class. As a matter of fact the love stories have done well for me because I have treated women very well in my films. More than personally, in my storytelling, I have treated women as equals. I think that's one reason why people think I am a good romantic hero because my girls have always been respected," Shah Rukh Khan had said. 

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SRK's old interview is the latest to resurface online amid the Animal controversy. Earlier, Aamir Khan's past interview, in which he explained how the overuse of violence and sex in a film was a sign of a "filmmaker, who lacks talent."