The comeback story of Bobby Deol picked up steam thanks to a side part in Salman Khan’s Race 3, picked up further speed through Prakash Jha’s popular web series Aashram, and hit its peak with his powerful negative character in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s 2023 blockbuster Animal. Many credit this intense performance with pulling the actor back into big league projects and fresh opportunities across movies and shows. Yet the star recently shared that his father, the legendary Dharmendra, felt uneasy about seeing his son take on such a dark character.
Animal features Ranbir Kapoor as the main anti-hero whose family comes under fierce assault from Abrar Haque, a distant relative played by Bobby Deol. Though Bobby’s screen time was brief and came in the latter part of the movie, audiences and critics loved the depth of the role and the actor’s fierce delivery. The casting happened after a serious-looking photo of Bobby at a sports event spread widely online and grabbed director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s interest. While chatting on Shekhar Suman’s fresh program Shekhar Tonite, Bobby remembered the moment: “Jab mujhe Sandeep Reddy Vanga ka phone aaya, he said ‘Teri expression hai iss photograph mein, I like this, and I want you in this.”
Bobby also described how Dharmendra responded to his ruthless part once the movie hit theaters. “Animal jab lagi, papa said, ‘Tu villain hai?’ I said, ‘Hanji papa, but acha role hai papa’ (When Animal released, papa asked me if I was the villain. I told him yes, but that it’s a good role).” The Ranbir Kapoor-led picture, which also included Rashmika Mandanna, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, and Triptii Dimri, collected more than ₹ 900 crore across the globe.
Following Animal’s huge triumph, Bobby Deol took on the antagonist spot in three major nationwide releases – Kanguva, Daaku Maharaj, and Hari Hara Veera Mallu. The opening one struggled financially, but the next pair did well at ticket counters. He further delivered a key performance in Aryan Khan’s streaming show, The Ba***ds of Bollywood.
Bobby Deol’s upcoming film will be Anurag Kashyap’s Bandar. He has additional exciting projects lined up, including the Yash Raj Films espionage drama Alpha featuring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari in central parts. After that, he plans to head back to Tamil movies for Jana Nayagan, Vijay’s last picture, which has faced delays at the CBFC for several months now.
