Bobby Deol’s portrayal of a villain in the 2023 film ‘Animal’ created a sensation at the box office. Though his role was brief, it left a lasting impression on audiences. This movie, which reshaped his career, came about due to a photograph taken during a cricket match.
Deol had a successful debut with the film ‘Barsaat’ in 1995 and later appeared in movies such as ‘Soldier’ and ‘Gupt’. However, his career took a downward turn. Despite struggling in Bollywood for many years and facing setbacks, one particular image altered his fortunes.
Even though Deol experienced a series of flops, he remained active in the film industry. Before ‘Animal’ and the ‘Aashram’ series, opportunities were scarce. He was aiming to revive his career, and the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer ‘Animal’ provided him with that chance. The role came to him because of a photo from the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL). The picture showed Deol with long hair and a beard. Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga revealed that the casting decision was made after seeing the photograph.
Sandeep Reddy Vanga found something intriguing in Deol’s photograph. The actor’s eyes conveyed a sense of depth. As Vanga was searching for a villain for his film, this search concluded with Deol’s cricket match photo, and Vanga’s choice proved successful in cinemas.
‘Animal’ grossed over 900 crore rupees globally, achieving blockbuster status. Following this success, Deol received several project offers. He was later seen in the 350 crore film ‘Kanguva’. Currently, he is reportedly set to feature in a series directed by Aryan Khan, son of Shah Rukh Khan. Also, there are rumors of him joining Alia Bhatt’s film ‘Alpha’.