The assault on a school girl in Raptadu, Andhra Pradesh, has triggered widespread debate on the internet around children's safety in India and the impact of cinema on society. Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga, in particular, has come under netizens' scrutiny, with many of them blaming his hyperviolent films for such heinous acts in society as the Raptadu incident. Actor, movie reviewer, and industry analyst KRK, for example, came out strongly against the Arjun Reddy and Animal filmmaker.
"Whatever has happened with the girl in the school, for that This psychopath Sandeep Reddy Vanga is responsible, who has glorified violence against women in his crap films. He has poisoned the minds of some idiots, who can't separate film’s fantasy from reality. Just look at his ugly face, he even looks like a psychopath. He should be banned from making movies," KRK wrote at the time.
On Wednesday, Sandeep Reddy Vanga came up with a strongly-worded response for the criticism against him and his brand of cinema. "When someone commits a heinous crime, the first response should be empathy and 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," Sandeep wrote.
The filmmaker added, "This is especially directed at those failed frustrated jobless male/female actors, few directors, producers and 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."
Recently, Sandeep Reddy Vanga's longtime admirer Ram Gopal Varma also came out in his support amidst the blame for the Raptadu incident. On the film front, Sandeep's upcoming film will be Spirit, starring Prabhas, and he is expected to return for a follow-up to Animal.
