‘Animal’ has emerged as a colossal hit, with Ranbir Kapoor and Bobby Deol at the forefront of its success. While Ranbir reaps the rewards of the film's massive commercial acclaim, Bobby Deol's portrayal of the ruthless villain, Abrar Haque, has added substantial clout to his second innings in the film industry.
Throughout most of the movie, Bobby maintains a menacing presence, lurking in the shadows and relentlessly pursuing Balbir Singh (Anil Kapoor) without disclosing his identity or whereabouts. It's only in the film's second half that we meet Abrar, Bobby's character, who oscillates between warmth, dance, and smiles, and spirals out of control, engaging in violent acts at his own wedding.
While Bobby's on-screen charisma resonated well with fans, many expressed dissatisfaction with the limited screen time he received.
Despite being cast as the main antagonist, his role felt more like an extended cameo. Bobby himself had reservations about the length of his character in the movie.
Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga addressed this concern, revealing that a significant portion of Bobby's character development was left on the cutting room floor during post-production. The edited backstory shed light on Abrar's motivations and added depth to Bobby's character, offering a glimpse into his complex persona that remained largely unexplored in the theatrical release.
"Bobby sir has a similar backstory. I shot also. But, the CG was delayed and it was not fitting with the music somehow. Even when Ranbir is hitting Bobby, there is a glimpse of a 13-year-old guy running towards the grandfather who is in fire. He's shocked and that's where he loses his voice and all. I thought I would show the flash cut to both. Because he also has equal reasons to kill Balbir," Sandeep told Galatta Plus.
Vanga explained that the meticulously shot backstory for Abrar Haque was omitted due to challenges in integrating it seamlessly with the film's music and overall flow.
The director expressed uncertainty about including these edited scenes in the extended version of ‘Animal,’ slated for release on streaming platforms.