Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) has entered the debate over whether violent films influence real-world crime, days after a chainsaw attack at a school in Raptadu, Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh reignited concerns about the portrayal of violence in Indian cinema. On Sunday, 1 November 2026, Varma posted on X (formerly Twitter) arguing that holding films responsible for violence is a misplaced response.

What RGV Said

In his post, Varma wrote: 'Blaming films for rise in violence is like blaming Ramayana for rise in kidnappings.' The filmmaker, a long-time vocal supporter of director Sandeep Reddy Vanga, has consistently defended bold and violent cinematic content. Vanga himself has cited Varma as a creative influence.

Varma's remarks come as public discourse around film-induced behavioural harm has intensified following the Raptadu incident, with several social media users drawing a direct line between on-screen depictions of classroom violence and the real-world attack.

The Raptadu Chainsaw Attack

The incident that triggered the debate occurred when a 21-year-old man identified as Hemanth allegedly entered a Class 10 classroom in Raptadu and attacked a 15-year-old girl with a chainsaw. Preliminary police investigations suggest the accused, reportedly a relative of the victim, had been stalking her and carried out the attack after she rejected his advances.

Another student, identified as Lakshmi, sustained injuries while attempting to shield her classmate. The primary victim is undergoing treatment at Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru and was reported stable. The accused has since been traced and taken into custody at Dharmavaram.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga and the 'Animal' Controversy

The attack promptly revived criticism of director Sandeep Reddy Vanga and a widely discussed scene from his 2023 film Animal, in which actor Ranbir Kapoor walks into a school classroom carrying a loaded gun. The scene had already drawn scrutiny at the time of the film's release; the Raptadu attack brought it back into sharp focus.

Multiple social media users held the sequence up as an example of cinema normalising extreme violence in institutional settings. One user wrote: 'Vanga's Animal has a scene where Ranbir Kapoor walks into a classroom with an AK47. This is what such movies lead to. When will directors like Sandeep Reddy Vanga and actors like Ranbir Kapoor be held responsible for poisoning young minds?'

Another user referenced content critic Dhruv Rathee, writing: 'When Dhruv Rathee called out Aditya Dhar and Sandeep Reddy Vanga for glorifying violence and propaganda through films like Dhurandhar, the right-wing went after him with abuse. And now we're witnessing the kind of consequences that come from normalising hatred and glorifying violence.'

A third user described the trend as 'actively rotting our basic human empathy', arguing that glorifying extreme violence as masculine behaviour posed a societal risk.

The Broader Debate on Cinema and Real-World Violence

The question of whether violent films cause or merely reflect societal aggression is a longstanding one, with research on the subject offering mixed conclusions. Critics argue that films depicting hyper-masculine violence — particularly when framed approvingly — can shape the attitudes of impressionable audiences. Defenders of artistic freedom, including Varma, maintain that the creative medium cannot be held culpable for crimes committed by individuals.

This is not the first time Animal has been at the centre of such a debate; the film drew sharp criticism from gender rights groups upon release for its treatment of women and its aestheticisation of brutality. Notably, India's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had cleared the film with an 'A' certificate but without ordering cuts to the contested scenes.

What Happens Next

The police investigation into the Raptadu attack is ongoing, with the accused in custody at Dharmavaram. No formal government or regulatory action against filmmakers has been announced in connection with the incident. The debate over cinema's responsibilities, however, is unlikely to subside — particularly as Animal's sequel and other high-intensity action films remain in production pipelines.