‘Tere Ishq Mein’ starring Kriti Sanon and Dhanush, is gearing up for its release on 27 November. This marks the third collaboration between Dhanush and filmmaker Aanand L Rai after ‘Raanjhanaa’ and ‘Atrangi Re’. As the release approaches, Rai has been actively promoting the movie and recently opened up about the movie being compared with ‘Animal’.
When ‘Tere Ishq Mein’ was compared to ‘Animal’
Since the trailer dropped, many viewers noted similarities between Dhanush’s aggressive character arc and movies like ‘Animal’ and ‘Kabir Singh‘, both of which sparked discussions about toxic masculinity. Talking with The Hindu, he defended his film saying, “It doesn’t belong in the same space. There are similarities in how the characters have aggression and rage. But those are just the ingredients and not the story.”
Responding to the ‘Alpha Male’ conversation
Some viewers labelled Dhanush’s role in the trailer as an ‘alpha male,’ especially after a scene where he storms into a wedding and threatens destruction. Rai responded with clarity, “A story is never conceived thinking of your character as an alpha. For me, the character is emotional and sensitive and nothing that he does is wrong.”
On working again with Dhanush and AR Rahman
The film also marks Rai’s continued partnership with Dhanush and AR Rahman. He reflected warmly on how their relationship has evolved over time. He shared that when they first worked together with Dhanush was no more than an ‘actor’, however, over the years, he said, “Now, I have a son.”He further added, “We are selfish people who are together for some reason. So, in such a space, if you discover a relationship that goes beyond just working in films, then it is magical. I can say that my profession gave me something very personal.”Speaking about Rahman, he expressed his admiration by saying he needs Rahman whenever he tells a layered emotional story, “Whenever I have a layered story that has a lot to say, I need him in my life. I can’t drive a film with such intensity alone. For Raanjhanaa, he crafted something else. For Atrangi Re, he understood what I wanted as a maker. For me, he is like a strong pillar who is holding the roof together.”
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