Actor Shahid Kapoor on Monday said his film "Kabir Singh" portrays a flawed man with all honesty and if the audience only wants to watch nice characters, cinema won't go far. "Kabir Singh" is the remake of the Telugu hit "Arjun Reddy", directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, who has also helmed the Hindi version.
While the film became a rage quickly after its release in 2017, it was criticised for glorifying toxic masculinity and for using anger as a tool to justify the titular character's abuse of women and people around him.
When asked if the criticism played on his mind before he started with the Hindi film, the director told reporters, "Anger is a very special quality. There is nothing wrong in using anger as a tool. It can be used in anyway an individual wants. I don't think the opinion of critics, what they mentioned during the Telugu film (was) playing in the back of my mind."
Responding to the criticism, Shahid said sometimes "we are very hypocritical about how we tend to look at cinema made in India."
"We then watch things made internationally and praise them for the fact that they are so honest, straight and not trying to be politically correct all the time. Cinema is meant to showcase different people. It's not about wonderful, perfect people. I think we all are imperfect in our own ways. We all have grey areas within ourselves, we go through good and bad phases," he said.
The actor, who was speaking at the trailer launch of the film, said everyone has been angry, hurt and negative at some point.
"To me, watching a film like 'Kabir Singh' will help understand that when you allow yourself to be affected by those things, it can take you on the path of destruction. It can warn you from going in that route.