Sandeep Reddy Vanga Reveals Secrets Behind Ranbir Kapoor’s Axe And Machine Gun Fights In Animal

Even three years after its initial release, Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal continues to dominate cinematic conversations. The 2023 blockbuster, which featured Ranbir Kapoor in his most visceral avatar to date, is now gearing up for a grand premiere in Japan. Ahead of the international release, Vanga has finally pulled back the curtain on how he meticulously orchestrated the film’s most iconic and polarizing action set pieces.

During a recent press conference, the filmmaker delved into the creative process behind the sprawling, nearly 19-minute interval sequence that saw Ranbir’s character, Ranvijay Singh, take on a literal army of assassins.

Vanga explained that the action wasn’t just about spectacle; it was a narrative necessity designed to justify

the character’s physical decline in the film’s second half. He noted that the intensity of the violence was deliberate. “I wanted Ranvijay Singh seem to be injured in the first part of the second half, where he was getting treated and all that. So for that, the action has to be gory and serious and real, so that he’ll be injured enough and he’ll be sitting at home doing nothing,” Vanga shared.

To keep the long sequence engaging, the director decided to break the combat into distinct stages. This led to the creation of the multi-layered battle. “So based on that thought, I got this idea of designing the fight in facets, like one with the axe, one with the machine gun, and one with that big machine (where he) is sitting and shooting,” he added. This structured approach allowed the screenplay to flow naturally toward the protagonist’s vulnerability.

Beyond the weaponry, Vanga addressed the aesthetic choices that made the scene stand out, such as the eerie animal masks and the juxtaposition of traditional music with high-octane violence. He admitted that the masks served a practical purpose during filming. “See, usually what happens is when you are making a film, the fighters who come to fight are not the real characters, it’s the choreographer’s team. I wanted to hide their face and so we got animal masks, and it looked a little different. And we got a Marathi song,” he revealed.

The film, produced by T-Series and Bhadrakali Pictures, focused on the toxic and obsessive bond between Ranvijay and his father, Balbir Singh (played by Anil Kapoor). While Animal faced criticism for its graphic nature, its box office success remains undisputed. With a stellar supporting cast including Bobby Deol, Rashmika Mandanna, and Triptii Dimri, the film’s upcoming Japanese release proves that Vanga’s “gory and serious” vision has found a global pulse.