Did you know Parineeti Chopra was the first choice for Animal and Kabir Singh? Here's the tea!

Bringing together Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor and ‘national crush’ Rashmika Mandanna for the first time, Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animalhas turned out to be a blockbuster. But did you know that Rashmika wasn't the first choice of the director for the female lead role? In a recent interviewwith Komal Nahta, Sandeep revealed that Parineeti Chopra was his first choice for the pivotal role.

During the conversation, Sandeep candidly admitted to having signed Parineeti a year and a half before the shoot. However, he expressed regret over not seeing the character of Geetanjali in her for the film. Despite his admiration for her acting, he opted to go with his instinct and made a decision based on his vision for the character.

Sandeep also wanted to initially cast Parineeti instead of Kiara Advani in Kabir Singhbut circumstances didn't align. The director's decision, although disappointing for Parineeti, was grounded in his commitment to the film's integrity.

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Animalpresents Ranbir Kapoor as Ranvijay, alongside Rashmika Mandanna as Geetanjali, his wife. Anil Kapoor essays the role of Ranbir's father, while Triptii Dimri plays the woman with whom he has an extramarital affair. Bobby Deol takes on the antagonist's role, aiming to challenge Ranvijay after a family tragedy.

Despite facing mixed reviews and criticism for its portrayal of violence and misogyny, Animalemerged as a commercial success in 2023. The film has crossed the Rs 5 billion mark at the Indian box office since its December 1 release.

Now, fans are waiting for the film's sequel, titled Animal Park, which will show Ranbir playing a dual role.