In January 2024, filmmaker Varun Grover retorted, "No," in the comments section when Anurag Kashyap referred to Sandeep Reddy Vanga as the "most honest, vulnerable, and a lovely person" in a note he wrote for him on Instagram. Finally, in an interview with The Lallantop, Varun explained the reason for his statement, revealing that Vanga had acted rudely on social media and even informed Javed Akhtar that he was unable to write. In spite of these occurrences, Anurag had defended him.

Varun's words

"If someone comes in defense of a picture that I understand," Varun stated during the conversation. It's one thing to defend a piece of art and another to defend a human being. I don't think I can ever support or oppose a person, but I can do so for an idea. In my honest view, Kashyap saab was defending the filmmaker and his actions in that piece rather than the movie.

In support of Sandeep Reddy Vanga

"The article made no mention of the film [Animal]," Varun continued. The same filmmaker had engaged in a number of disagreements and behaved rudely on his social media. He also stated that Javed Akhtar saab is unable to write, as far as I can recall. You don't know anything about writing. He had acted disrespectfully rather than with discrimination. He even said, if I remember correctly, that Javed Akhtar doesn't know how to write and doesn't understand it. He used a negative tone while saying that). Kashyap was attempting to protect the individual, thus my 'No' remark.

Following his remark, Varun continued, Anurag Kashyap phoned him to discuss it, and Varun also explained it to him. Anurag agreed that Varun's statement was logical.

One of the greatest box office successes of 2023 was Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal. The movie, which starred Ranbir Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Bobby Deol, and Triptii Dimri, generated conflicting opinions among reviewers and audiences due to its "promoting violence and misogyny." The movie is being produced in its sequel.