In December 2020, acclaimed director Sandeep Reddy Vanga made headlines by announcing his upcoming film, “Animal,” featuring Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor. The anticipation built up until November 23, 2023, when the trailer dropped on T-Series’ YouTube channel, amassing an impressive 49 million views and 881K likes within just 21 hours.
Breaking away from the trend of concise trailers, Sandeep Reddy Vanga crafted a 3-minute 33-second teaser for “Animal,” skillfully maintaining the mystery around the characters and storyline. The trailer’s opening scene, featuring Ranbir Kapoor’s intense dialogue, “Sunai dera hain, behra nahin hu main,” resonated with viewers and set social media abuzz.
As film critics, YouTubers, and fans dissected the trailer, two standout performances emerged – Ranbir Kapoor’s powerful portrayal of Arjun Balbir Singh and Bobby Deol’s captivating presence. With potential for blockbuster success, “Animal” has become one of the most anticipated films of the year.
Apart from the lead duo, the star-studded cast includes veteran actors like Shakti Kapoor, Prem Chopra, Suresh Oberoi, and rising star Tripti Dimri from “Qala,” generating excitement among fans.
Sandeep Reddy Vanga invested significantly in “Animal,” with a reported budget of around Rs. 100 crores. A substantial portion of the budget went into assembling the stellar cast, with Ranbir Kapoor allegedly commanding a hefty fee of Rs. 70 crores. However, conflicting reports in October 2023 suggested a renegotiation, reducing his fee to Rs. 35 crores, awaiting official confirmation.
In stark contrast, Bobby Deol, playing the film’s alleged antagonist, received a comparatively modest sum of Rs. 4-5 crores, 14 times less than Kapoor. Other cast members, including Rashmika Mandanna (Rs. 4 crores) and Anil Kapoor (Rs. 2 crores), contributed to the ensemble.
Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga revealed that “Animal” has secured an ‘A’ certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The film’s intense scenes, particularly Ranbir Kapoor’s character choking his on-screen wife, Rashmika Mandanna, have sparked discussions about the film’s potential hyper-violence, drawing comparisons to Vanga’s previous work, “Kabir Singh.”
Fans, long-awaiting a gritty and intense Bollywood film, are expressing excitement for “Animal,” embracing its anticipated violent narrative. Sandeep Vanga’s commitment to showcasing raw and impactful storytelling, as promised in earlier interviews, seems poised to resonate with audiences eager for a departure from conventional narratives.
