Ranbir Kapoor has openly acknowledged that for much of his career, he was firmly boxed into playing romantic, coming-of-age characters, and he has now credited director Sandeep Reddy Vanga for radically changing that trajectory with Animal.
Since making his debut in Saawariya in 2007, Ranbir has grown into one of Hindi cinema’s most bankable stars, earning acclaim for performances in films like Barfi, Tamasha, Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahaani and Sanju.
For years, audiences associated him with emotionally soft, charming roles.
That image shifted dramatically with Animal, where he fronted a brutal, action-heavy revenge drama that showed him in an entirely new and unsettling light.
Ranbir and director Sandeep Reddy Vanga recently appeared together for an audience interaction in Japan following a screening of Animal, ahead of the film’s Japanese release on February 13. During the discussion, Ranbir reflected on what drew him to the project and why saying yes to a character like Rannvijay was such a turning point.
Talking about accepting the role, Ranbir said, "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."
He went on to explain what he found compelling about Rannvijay, a character far removed from anything he had portrayed before. Ranbir described him as emotionally intense and dangerously driven, saying, "I think he is someone who is protective. He is volatile, deeply emotional, and will take extreme measures to protect his family."
He added that this emotional core helped the film resonate globally, noting, "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."
In Animal, Ranbir plays Ranvijay Vijay Singh, a man deeply scarred by childhood trauma and shaped by the cold, emotionally distant relationship he shares with his father, played by Anil Kapoor. The story spirals into extreme violence after an assassination attempt on his father triggers Ranvijay’s ruthless quest for revenge.
The film also stars Bobby Deol as the antagonist, with Rashmika Mandanna and Triptii Dimri in key roles. Fueled by controversy, massive audience response and polarizing reactions, Animal stormed past the 900 Indian crores mark worldwide, cementing its place as one of the highest-grossing Indian films ever made.
With the character of Rannvijay now firmly etched into pop culture, a sequel titled Animal Park is already in development, signaling that Ranbir Kapoor’s era of playing safe lover boys may be permanently over.