Ranbir Kapoor on why he instantly connected with Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal: 'We grew up with that distance from our father'

Ranbir Kapoor earned widespread acclaim for his performance in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, a film that explored a toxic father-son relationship set against the dark world of crime and violence. As the film gears up for its Japan release on February 13, Ranbir and Vanga recently interacted with audiences during a special screening, where the actor opened up about what drew him to the story.

‘It is rare when you connect with somebody instantly’

Recalling his first meeting with the filmmaker, Ranbir spoke about the personal connection he felt with Vanga and his storytelling. He said, “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.”

Ranbir added that the emotional core of Animal went far beyond its violent surface. “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,” he shared.

‘One of my most treasured collaborations’

The actor also described Animal as a deeply fulfilling creative experience. “It was one of my most treasured and memorable collaborations that I had with a director in my career,” Ranbir said, highlighting the bond he formed with Vanga during the making of the film.



In Animal, Ranbir Kapoor played Ranvijay Singh, a man who embarks on a violent path of revenge following an assassination attempt on his father. Anil Kapoor portrayed his father in the film, while Rashmika Mandanna played Ranbir’s wife. Triptii Dimri appeared in a key supporting role, and Bobby Deol played the antagonist.

The film emerged as a massive box office success, crossing the Rs 900 crore mark worldwide and cementing its place among the highest-grossing Indian films of all time. A sequel titled Animal Park is currently in development, further expanding the gritty universe created by Vanga.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”