Ranbir Kapoor expresses gratitude to Animal director Sandeep Reddy Vanga for giving him a different role: "Found the character extremely scary but..."

In Animal, Ranbir Kapoor portrayed Ranvijay Vijay Singh, a man shaped by deep-rooted childhood trauma caused by his emotionally distant father, played by Anil Kapoor.

• Ranbir Kapoor credits Sandeep for casting him in challenging "Animal" role
• Animal Park sequel to start filming mid-2027, centered on a brotherly war.
• Animal grossed over Rs 900 crore worldwide, becoming a top Indian box office hit

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Ranbir Kapoor and director Sandeep Reddy Vanga recently interacted with fans following a special screening of Animal in Japan, where the duo spoke candidly about the film and its impact. During the interaction, Ranbir openly credited Sandeep for trusting him with a role that marked a major shift from his usual on-screen image.

Reflecting on Animal and his experience of portraying Ranvijay, Ranbir shared, "I must credit Sandeep for seeing me in a character like this. As was mentioned, I was always playing the lover boy, coming-of-age characters. But when I heard Animal, when Sandeep narrated it to me, I found the character extremely scary for an actor like me to approach. But with a lot of confidence from the director's side, I think that instilled confidence in me too."

Elaborating further on the layered nature of Ranvijay, the actor added, "I think he is someone who is protective. He is volatile, deeply emotional, and will take extreme measures to protect his family. I think that is an emotion we can connect with in any part of the world. Whenever Animal was released all over the world, we really got that response; people really connected with the family story. That is what really excited me as an actor."

The discussion also turned to the much-anticipated sequel, Animal Park. Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga confirmed that the project is slated to go on floors next year, sharing key details about its concept and timeline.

"Animal Park will start soon once I finish my current film, and there will be more animals. Keeping that in mind, it's a war between two brothers who look alike. So I thought Animal Park would be the right title. As of now, we'll begin shooting in mid-2027," he stated.

Also read: Ranbir Kapoor says Animal hit close to home because of his distant father-son experience

In Animal, Ranbir Kapoor portrayed Ranvijay Vijay Singh, a man shaped by deep-rooted childhood trauma caused by his emotionally distant father, played by Anil Kapoor. The hyper-violent action drama follows Ranvijay as he embarks on a ruthless path of revenge after an assassination attempt on his father.

The film also featured Bobby Deol as the antagonist, with Rashmika Mandanna and Triptii Dimri in pivotal roles. Animal went on to become one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time, raking in over Rs 900 crore at the worldwide box office.