'Custom-made for him'—Why Sandeep Reddy Vanga chose Ranbir for 'Animal'
What's the story
Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga recently revealed that his film Animal was written specifically for actor Ranbir Kapoor. In a recent interview with critic Komal Nahta, Vanga said that the casting of Kapoor wasn't an afterthought but a decision made from the beginning. He called the film "custom-made" for Kapoor and praised the actor's previous work, especially his "aggression" and "arrogance."
Casting decision
Vanga's first choice for 'Animal' was Kapoor
Vanga confirmed Kapoor was his first choice for Animal. "When I see his previous work, his aggression, arrogance, those features are very clearly defined while he was acting." The director got the actor on board early on, saying, "Yeah, I told him at the idea level, he loved it. So when I started writing the screenplay, it took a year. Then automatically he was there in every scene." "It's custom-made for him, tailor-made screenplay ho gaya unke liye."
Career impact
'Animal' success and Kapoor's upcoming projects
Animal, which was released in 2023, went on to become one of the highest-grossing films and changed the course of Kapoor's career. Kapoor is now busy with his next project Love & War under Sanjay Leela Bhansali's direction. The film also features Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal in pivotal roles. He is also a part of Nitesh Tiwari's much-anticipated movie Ramayana.
Director's insight
Vanga's views on Shahid Kapoor and 'Animal' casting
In the same interview, Vanga also spoke about his previous collaboration with Shahid Kapoor on Kabir Singh. He called Shahid an "original actor" but revealed that he did not think of him for Animal. Elaborating on this decision, Vanga said, "When I thought about this emotional story, Ranbir Kapoor only striked." He called this choice "organic," thinking Ranbir was the right fit for Animal.