Dharmendra Had THIS To Say About Bobby Deol's Negative Role Opposite Ranbir Kapoor In 'Animal'

Bobby Deol recently shared how his father Dharmendra reacted with surprise after learning he was playing the antagonist in Animal, a role that eventually became one of the biggest turning points of his career

Dharmendra Was Surprised To See Bobby As A Villain

Bobby Deol earned massive appreciation for portraying Abrar Haque in Animal, but the idea initially shocked his father Dharmendra. During an appearance on Shekhar Suman’s chat show, Bobby revealed that his father questioned him after the film’s release, asking, “Tu villain hai?”

The actor explained that he reassured his father by telling him it was a strong character despite being negative. Even though Bobby appeared only briefly in the film, his intense performance left a lasting impact on audiences and became one of the most talked-about aspects of the movie.

A Viral Photo Helped Bobby Land Animal

Bobby also recalled how filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga approached him for the role. According to the actor, the director noticed a viral photograph in which Bobby looked serious while attending a sporting event. That expression reportedly inspired Vanga to cast him as Abrar.

The gamble paid off. The film, led by Ranbir Kapoor and co-starring Rashmika Mandanna, Anil Kapoor and Triptii Dimri, went on to become a huge box-office success globally. Bobby’s silent yet menacing screen presence became one of the defining highlights of the action drama.

Animal Opened A New Chapter In Bobby Deol’s Career

Following the success of Animal, Bobby Deol witnessed a major resurgence in his career. He went on to feature in several high-profile projects across industries, mostly playing powerful antagonist roles.

The actor was seen in films like Kanguva, Daaku Maharaj and Hari Hara Veera Mallu. He is also set to appear in Alpha alongside Alia Bhatt and Sharvari. Apart from films, Bobby has also expanded into streaming content and continues to sign large-scale commercial projects.