The action thriller film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Rashmika Mandanna, Tripti Dimri, and others.
Directed and written by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, he co-wrote the screenplay with Pranay Reddy Vanga and Saurabh Gupta. The runtime is 201 minutes.
If there’s one word I would use to describe Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s recent film, I’d say it’s “limitless”. There’s no limit to the obsession of a son with his father, no limit to the brutality and bloodshed on screen, and no limit to wildness beyond toxicity in a marriage, including unlimited dead bodies.
Animal is about Ranbir Kapoor doing all he can to save his father, Balbir Singh, played by Anil Kapoor. Until the interval, the makers didn’t reveal Ranbir’s name. I first wondered why they would keep it a secret. Then I realised the character doesn’t care about himself and is okay with just being known as Balbir’s son.
Ranbir Kapoor’s daddy issues universe continues with Animal, but instead of sulking and going around rediscovering himself in a good way, he decides to take a murderous arc. The first half is a display of the character’s brutality to the fullest.
In the second half, the plot picks up momentum as we see some family and marital conflict. But that doesn’t go on for a long time. In his mind, Vanga is clear that his latest directorial is high on violence and less on story.
Some scenes are definitely shot and choreographed well, especially the interval block. The entire sequence is executed terrifically and technically speaking; the use of music, slow-motion shots, cinematography, editing, and rage heightens your interest to the max.
In terms of performance, Animal is a Ranbir Kapoor show all the way. The actor owns every frame he’s a part of. He dominates every frame where he’s embracing his ruthless persona. Similarly, Kapoor surrenders to the vulnerability completely whenever the script demands it. He truly delivers one of the most audacious performances of his career.
Anil Kapoor gives a stellar act, even though his screen presence is not as much as one expected it to be. Rashmika Mandanna truly struggles with her dialogue delivery; however, her chemistry with Ranbir is steamy and wild.