Overview
- This week Bobby Deol told Shekhar Tonite that recent interviews reaffirm his account of how he was cast in Animal and that his father Dharmendra reacted in surprise when the film released.
- Deol said director Sandeep Reddy Vanga phoned him after seeing a viral photograph and told him he liked Deol’s expression, which led Vanga to offer the role of Abrar Haque.
- The Abrar character appears briefly and speaks little, a choice Vanga has said was meant to build anticipation by delaying the villain’s entrance.
- Audiences praised Deol’s intense, mostly non‑verbal performance, which spawned the 'Lord Bobby' social trend and helped him secure several high‑profile pan‑India villain parts that have had mixed box‑office results.
- Animal was a major commercial hit, reported at around ₹900 crore worldwide, and its violent tone prompted public debate about on‑screen violence and portrayals of masculinity.