Despite facing significant criticism for its violent tone and misogynistic content, Animal, the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, turned out to be one of the biggest blockbusters of the year. Producer Bhushan Kumar recently spoke about the success of the film, giving the credit solely to Vanga, whose conviction and confidence in the project played a key role in its triumph at the box office.
In a recent interview with ANI, Bhushan Kumar was asked to share his thoughts on who he would credit for Animal’s success. He did not hesitate in attributing most of the credit to director Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Bhushan explained, “I would give the most credit to the director because Sandeep’s confidence in the film was on another level. It was a different kind of film, and the actor was very interested in doing a performance like this—something he hadn’t done before. But no one knew how well the film would actually work. Despite the heavy criticism it faced, the film achieved huge numbers.”
The producer went on to highlight Vanga’s belief in the film’s success even when the final cut seemed lengthy. “When I saw the first cut, I told him it’s a very lengthy film, but Sandeep told me, ‘Sir, don’t ask me to cut anything. I am super confident it will do great business; it will open at ₹50 crore,’” Bhushan revealed.
Fans of the film on Reddit quickly agreed with Bhushan’s sentiments. Many expressed that Vanga’s direction played a pivotal role in Animal’s success. One fan commented, “Exactly. Vanga gave a blockbuster with zero box office pull, actors like Shahid Kapoor and Deverakonda. He proved himself twice before Ranbir. It was definitely people being excited for a Kabir Singh director’s movie, not just another Ranbir movie.” Another fan wrote, “Yeah, duh, how is this debatable? It would have grossed well no matter who was the lead. Pure Vanga show.”
Another fan praised Vanga’s influence, adding, “He’s right. Vanga drove that film from front to back, and the film earned the money it did due to Vanga. Say what you want, but Vanga was the star as well as the director.”
About Animal
Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Animal is an action-packed drama that delves into the story of Ranvijay “Vijay” Singh (played by Ranbir Kapoor), the son of a powerful industrialist. The film explores his strained relationship with his father, which worsens as Vijay undergoes a brutal transformation and embarks on a path of vengeance following an assassination attempt on his father. The movie also stars Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Rashmika Mandanna, and Triptii Dimri in crucial roles.
Though the film faced backlash for its violent and misogynistic tone—drawing criticism from figures such as Javed Akhtar—it still managed to make a resounding impact at the box office. Animal opened with an impressive ₹63.8 crore in India and eventually earned ₹915 crore worldwide, solidifying its blockbuster status.
As the excitement builds for the sequel, titled Animal Park, fans are eager to see what direction Vanga takes the story next.
Sources By Agencies
