Ranbir Kapoor on why Animal felt personal: ‘We grew up with that distance from our father...’

Ranbir Kapoor’s performance in Animal, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, drew widespread acclaim for its emotional intensity and raw vulnerability. As the film gears up for its Japan release on February 13, the actor joined the director at a special screening to interact with audiences. During the conversation, Ranbir revisited the moment he first heard the script and why the filmmaker’s vision immediately resonated with him on a personal level.

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Here's What Ranbir Said

Reflecting on his first meeting with Vanga, Ranbir Kapoor shared, “I really loved his previous work. He made one film, in Telugu and then in Hindi. I met him for the first time and it is rare time where you connect with somebody. I connected with him as a person. I connected with what he was trying to say through the story.” 

He further added, "This may seem like a very intense, action-oriented, bloodied film, but I think the core emotion, the father-son emotion, was something that a lot of men from my generation… we grew up with that distance from our father. So I think I really connected with that deep emotion. It was one of my most treasured and memorable collaborations that I had with a director in my career.”

The Heart Beneath the Violence

While Animal appears to be a gritty tale soaked in action and brutality, its emotional spine lies in a fractured father-son bond. That inner conflict, more than the spectacle, drew Ranbir to the role and shaped his portrayal of Rannvijay Singh- a man driven by loyalty, rage, and unresolved childhood wounds.

Inside the World of Animal

The film features Anil Kapoor as Ranbir’s father, anchoring the strained relationship at the center of the story. Rashmika Mandanna plays his wife, with Triptii Dimri in a pivotal supporting role. Bobby Deol steps in as the menacing antagonist. The plot follows Rannvijay’s relentless descent into violence after an assassination attempt on his father, unfolding amid the murky corridors of crime and revenge.

Box Office Roar and What’s Next

Animal proved to be a commercial juggernaut, storming past ₹900 crore worldwide and cementing its place among the highest-grossing Indian films ever. With audiences hungry for more, a sequel titled Animal Park is already in development, promising the saga isn’t over yet.

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Recently, Vanga revealed that the moment he completes Spirit with Prabhas, his focus will shift straight to Animal Park, with cameras expected to roll by mid-2027. The filmmaker plans to push the sequel into darker, more explosive territory, amplifying the raw violence, heightened drama, and unsettling psychological depth that powered the original.

He also teased a significant expansion of the story’s core conflict, suggesting a broader, more intense narrative that raises the stakes far beyond the first chapter.