The shocking incident where a Class 10 student was attacked with a chainsaw inside her school in Andhra Pradesh has shocked the nation. Similarly, the violent attack by an 8-year-old boy on a 6-year-old girl has also raised concerns. Amid this, a debate over violence in cinema sparked online. The debate has put filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga under scrutiny, with many linking the attacks to the violent themes in his films like Animal. Amid the backlash, Sandeep Reddy Vanga has now broken his silence.
Sandeep Reddy Vanga reacts
Many directed the criticism at Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s films, which include Arjun Reddy, Kabir Singh and Animal, which include violent themes.
The filmmaker took to X to pen a long note, wherein he argued that the “immediate response to such a crime should be empathy.” He also called for attempts to understand the larger problem that exists, rather than “finding a convenient scapegoat in cinema”.
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. This is especially directed at those failed frustrated jobless male/female actors, few directors, producers & parasites, who suddenly appoint themselves as social reformers whenever an opportunity arises to take a dig at someone else’s work. A tragedy deserves empathy 🙏, not opportunism. Learn the difference.
— Sandeep Reddy Vanga (@imvangasandeep) November 4, 2026
In his post, he also stated that the response and reactions to a heinous crime should focus on the victims and their families and not find someone in the film industry to blame. “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,” he wrote.
The filmmaker also took a jibe at those who have criticised his films, accusing them of using the incident as an opportunity to target him. “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,” he wrote, while calling his critics “failed frustrated, jobless male/female actors”.
“A tragedy deserves empathy, not opportunism. Learn the difference,” Sandeep concluded.
Notably, actor and social media personality Kamaal R Khan was among those who criticised the director, accusing him of glorifying violence against women and calling for a ban on his films.
Ram Gopal Varma also reacts
Meanwhile, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has defended cinema and Sandeep Reddy Vanga by offering a different perspective. Defending movies against accusations, he wrote, “Blaming films for rise in violence is like blaming Ramayana for rise in kidnappings.”