Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s crime drama Animal is not just claimed to be one of the longest Indian films ever made, but also one of the most highly anticipated. Recently, the principal cast of the upcoming film, actors Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, and Bobby Deol, along with producer Bhushan Kumar, and distributor Venkat Narayana Konanki were in the city, promoting the film. During a conversation hosted by comedian-turned-actor Danish Sait, Kapoor kicked off conversations in Kannada, eliciting cheers from the audience as he delved into details about the film.
He expressed his enthusiasm, highlighting how working on this project fulfills any actor’s dream, while showering praise on Vanga for the latter’s unwavering belief in his craft. Kapoor further credited the film’s essence to Vanga’s vision and energy, underscoring the resemblance of the characters in this family crime drama to the director’s creative philosophy.
Reflecting on the portrayal of the father-son dynamic alongside Anil Kapoor, Kapoor shared a personal insight. He disclosed that filming commenced following the passing of his father, Rishi Kapoor. “Whenever Sandeep explained scenes centered on a father-son relationship, I found moments that resonated with my own experiences,” he revealed.
“I’m thrilled with the film’s progress; it has turned out exceptionally well and looks mind-blowing,” expressed producer Bhushan Kumar. He highlighted Vanga’s commitment to overseeing the final mixing, clarifying his absence from the press meet.
Touching upon the acclaim for his role in Animal, Deol shared insights, attributing his success to hard work. “It’s about putting in the effort. Over the last five years, opportunities have come my way that I never imagined,” he reflected.
Mandanna recounted her swift casting for Animal just ten days before filming began. “It was immediate, a pure trust in director Sandeep Vanga and the cast that made me say yes,” she recalled. Describing the chemistry with Kapoor as natural, she mentioned it as a good collaboration of the talents from the South and North film industry.
Speaking sparingly about her role as Geethanjali, Mandanna hinted at challenging scenes, particularly citing the ‘karva chauth’ scene as the toughest in her career. She elaborated on the emotional depth of certain dialogues and their attempt to capture them in a single take, giving credit to Vanga for bringing out the best in her.
When queried about his inner animal, Kapoor metaphorically described himself as a baby elephant, always around its family, referencing the character dynamics in Animal. Certified A, Animal boasts a runtime of 3 hours and 21 minutes. Kapoor defended the film’s duration, asserting that it absolutely justifies its length.
“We believed that the story demanded this duration to reach the audience effectively,” he explained. He further hoped the audience would embrace the movie not as a lengthy feature but as a top-notch cinematic experience. Meanwhile, in a first for a Kapoor starrer, the multilingual film will have an early morning premiere.
