Wellknown UPSC coach and teacher Vikas Divyakirti has shared his thoughts on the current debate over a scene in Ranbir Kapoor's movie Animal (2023). In that scene Kapoors character Rannvijay Singh compels Triptii Dimri's character Zoya Riaz to lick his shoe. Divyakirti discussed this matter while being interviewed on the Be A Man Yaar podcast, where he was questioned about the portrayal of masculinity in movies and in society.

Divyakirti criticized the portrayal in the scene referring to it as a display of conduct. He emphasized that the notion of an "alpha male" represented by Kapoors character should not be relevant to human interactions. "This alpha male concept belongs to animals, like wolves, not humans. We’ve evolved far beyond the jungle, but those chasing this idea still live in that mindset. There must be a distinction between us and animals," he remarked.

He went on to explain that these days masculinity is often linked to looks and exerting control over women. This mindset can result in harmful dynamics in relationships. "When you start treating women as objects or maintain a distance from them, it leads to harmful behaviours, like telling someone to 'lick your shoe.' That’s inhuman. What’s left in a relationship after that? Toxic masculinity affects the man the most, because no one—neither his wife, nor his mother or daughter—can love him. If a man is happy being feared rather than loved, that’s pure foolishness," he added.

The portrayal of masculinity in the movie Animal directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga has stirred up a storm on social media. One particular scene featuring Ranbir's character confronting Zoya played by Triptii Dimri with a request to show her love by licking his shoes has drawn backlash for its depiction of behaviour. Critics argue that moments like these in the film perpetuate attitudes and disrespectful conduct.

In a previous conversation with The Indian Express Triptii Dimri stood up for her performance saying that actors shouldn’t pass judgment on their roles. "My acting coach told me the golden rule: Never judge your character. All characters, like humans, have both good and bad sides. If you judge a character’s motivations, you won’t be able to play them with honesty," she explained.

Despite facing criticism, the movie Animal featuring Rashmika Mandanna, Bobby Deol and Anil Kapoor has been successful at the box office. Released in multiple languages Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada the film has received backlash for allegedly promoting toxic masculinity and anti-women themes. However, it remains a subject of conversation due to its storyline and performances.