What makes the plot unique is its refusal to moralize. The camera does not judge Arjun; it bleeds with him.

Critics accused the film of glorifying misogyny, domestic violence, and toxic male privilege.

However, defenders (including director Sandeeth Reddy Vanga) argue that the film is a case study , not a guidebook. They claim the Arjun Reddy movie shows the consequences of unchecked rage, not the benefits. Arjun doesn't win because he is toxic; he wins despite his toxicity, and only after hitting rock bottom.

However, defenders offer a nuanced counter-argument: The film is a character study, not a tutorial. Sandeep Reddy Vanga has stated in interviews that Arjun is "a very broken man," not a role model. The film never shows his behavior as "right"; it shows it as "consequential." Arjun loses his job, his friends, and nearly his life. The final "happy ending" is ambiguous—has he truly changed, or has he just found a new anchor for his obsession?