"I thought of my father": Ranbir Kapoor on his violent role in Animal

The eagerly awaited first trailer for Animal, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga and starring Ranbir Kapoor, has been unveiled by T-Series. Described as a romantic crime thriller, the film takes a hyper-violent approach in exploring the scion of a business family, portrayed by Ranbir Kapoor, as he embarks on a revenge mission after his father is attacked. The trailer introduces a toxic dynamic between Ranbir’s character and his on-screen father, played by Anil Kapoor.

According to the film’s trailer, Ranbir’s character will go to any lengths to prove his love for his father.In Animal, Ranbir’s character is underlined by certain dark tones, distinct from his popular lover-boy image. At a press conference in Delhi on Thursday, Ranbir was asked whom did he take a reference from to play this angry character. Ranbir said, “Main jab Sandeep (Reddy Vanga) se milta that oh yahi poochta tha ki Sandeep ek reference dedo. Maine kabhi yeh… matlab I’ve never heard anything like this, mujhe kabhi yeh cheezein mehsoos nahi hui hain (When I used to meet Sandeep I would ask for a reference. I’ve never heard or felt anything like this)." 

“I think eventually, subconsciously kahin na kahin mujhe mere papa ki yaad aayi. I think jis tareeke se voh baat karte the, he was a very passionate and aggressive man (Subconsciously, I thought of my father. The way he used to speak, he was a very passionate and aggressive man)."Speaking about portraying a “dark" character, Ranbir said that he calls the character “complex" instead.

Besides Ranbir and Anil, Animal also features Bobby Deol and Rashmika Mandanna in key roles. The trailer presents how Ranbir’s character’s attachment to his father leads him on the path of becoming a gangster, eventually coming to face with his nemesis, played by Bobby Deol.Animal marks Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s second directorial venture in Bollywood, after Shahid Kapoor’s Kabir Singh.