9 september 2024 : Vikas Divyakirti, known for his guidance to UPSC aspirants, recently discussed toxic masculinity on the Be A Man Yaar podcast. He criticized the problematic ‘lick my shoe’ scene from Ranbir Kapoor’s film Animal (2023), calling it ‘inhuman.’
Divyakirti argued that the concept of an “alpha male” in the film is outdated and more appropriate for animals than for humans. He stressed that such attitudes reflect a primitive mindset and are detrimental to human relationships. He further explained that toxic masculinity, which emphasizes traits like physical appearance and dominance, leads to distancing from women and undermines personal relationships.
In the controversial scene, Ranbir’s character Rannvijay Singh demands that Triptii Dimri’s character Zoya Riaz lick his shoes to prove her love, which has sparked backlash on social media. Despite the criticism, Animal performed well at the box office but faced scrutiny for its portrayal of masculinity and treatment of women.