EXCLUSIVE: Upendra Limaye had earlier refused Animal, “I said I don’t do just one scene”

Upendra Limaye has a memorable cameo in Ranbir Kapoor starrer Animal.

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

December 8, 2023 - 5:49 PM IST

Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal has a phenomenal performance from Ranbir Kapoor. But there are times when some actors provide a memorable performance despite doing just one scene. The same has happened with Upendra Limaye who makes a terrific mark in the crucial pre-interval action scene in the film.

EXCLUSIVE: Upendra Limaye had earlier refused Animal, “I said I don’t do just one scene”

Upendra, however, initially wasn’t keen to do the role. While sharing the story behind his casting in an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, he said, “Sandeep’s assistant Jeetendra Bhosle had called me 8-10 months ago and said that they are making a film with T-Series which is directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga and whether I will do it. I told him, ‘Arre yaar, ek scene main nahin karta, chal chhod’. That was the first conversation. He called 2-3 times again. After a couple of months, he told me that Sandeep sir only wants me to do that role.”

Upendra continued, “By then, I had seen Arjun Reddy. It became one of my favourite films. When I was in 10^th or 11^th, I had seen Ram Gopal Varma’s Shiva, and that film influenced me a lot. I was wondering who this first-time filmmaker is who conceived such scenes in this way and executed them. After watching Arjun Reddy, I felt he (Vanga) is the Ram Gopal Varma of this generation; (I mean) the original one who made Shiva. I found him very interesting. What a flawless film he made in the form of Arjun Reddy; very original and pure.”

As Upendra had immensely liked Arjun Reddy, he became eager to meet Vanga and thought that he will just meet him and say no for the role in Animal. “It was nice meeting him,” continued Upendra. “He told me that it’s an interval point action sequence and it’s a high-voltage action drama. He also showed me the picture of the gun machine. He said that it’s a three-and-a-half-page scene, but the scene is entirely mine. He had seen my Sarkar Raj and few other films. He knew I do Marathi films more and I am a National Award-winning actor.”

But Vanga wanted Upendra to shave his moustache and cut his hair short. “I said that can’t happen as I had signed one Excel Entertainment film, and its shooting was to happen soon. So, I said I can’t remove my moustache and cut my hair. But he asked me if I would like to do this role. I said based on what you have said, I would like to, and it will be fun to do such a special appearance. So, he said, no problem, let’s lock this without cutting my hair or removing my moustache. He suggested that we can do back-combing of my hair,” said Limaye.

Produced by T-Series, Cine1 Studio and Bhadrakali Pictures, Animal also stars Anil Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna and Bobby Deol.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Upendra Limaye on the underwear scene in Animal, “Even a regional actor might not have done the scene, which Ranbir Kapoor did”