Bobby Deol Was Worried When Ranbir Kapoor Shot For Animal For Very Long: 'Will They Say They Don’t Need Me?’

Bobby Deol’s role as the villain Abrar Haque in Animal quickly became a fan favourite. He recently shared how he landed the part and had to wait a year and a half to start filming. Bobby praised Ranbir Kapoor and noted that while he was emotional about Animal’s success, he couldn’t fully celebrate due to his mother-in-law’s death before the film’s release. In an interview with Humans of Bombay, Bobby explained that director Sandeep Reddy Vanga offered him the role.

“I got a message from him. He introduced himself and told me he wanted to meet me for a film. I thought, ‘Is it really him?’ I called and arranged the meeting. He showed me a photo of myself from when I participated in the Celebrity Cricket League and said, ‘I want to cast you because I love this expression of yours,’” Bobby said.

Although Bobby Deol was initially unsure about playing a mute character, he took on the challenge. Opening up on why he did so, Bobby said, “I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone. When Sandeep told me that my character would be mute, I thought, ‘But my voice is my strength,’ yet I still decided to go for it.”

Bobby also talked about his worries during the long wait to film Animal. Since the film took long to be shot, he was worried that he might not be needed anymore. Bobby recalled, “I waited 1.5 years to shoot the film. The film is 3.5 hours long, so they were shooting with Ranbir for a long time, and during that period, I kept thinking, ‘Are they going to change their mind? Will they suddenly say they don’t need me?’ Those thoughts crossed my mind, but Sandeep Reddy is a sweetheart. I learned sign language for the role. It became a huge success — although I never imagined it would become a cult hit, I had a gut feeling about it.”

Bobby Deol’s role as Abrar Haque in Animal marked a strong comeback in his career. Despite limited screen time, his portrayal of the menacing antagonist was highly praised by both fans and critics. His ability to convey intensity with minimal dialogue has been a standout moment in his career.