Sandeep Reddy Vanga Regrets Cutting 7 Minutes From Animal: ‘It Was A Good Cut But...'

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2 days ago

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Sandeep Reddy Vanga regrets cutting 7 minutes from Animal before release. Says he wanted to add them back on Netflix but couldn't. 'It was a good cut, but I regret it.'
While Animal roared at the box office and became one of 2023's most talked-about films, director Sandeep Reddy Vanga admits the final cut left him with lingering regret. In a candid chat with Arjun Reddy star Vijay Deverakonda and Kingdom director Gowtam Tinnanuri, Vanga opened up about the internal and external pressures he faced just days before the film's theatrical release.
'What happened was, the first cut of Animal was 3 hours and 45 minutes, and the next cut — my satisfactory cut — was 3 hours and 30 minutes. I came under pressure seven days before release, I edited out like seven minutes," Vanga revealed.
Despite its final runtime of over three hours, Animal was a critical and commercial juggernaut. The Ranbir Kapoor-led action drama, known for its stylized violence, turbulent father-son relationship, and raw emotional intensity, earned over ₹550 crore at the Indian box office. Yet for Vanga, the cost of shaving off those seven minutes still stings.
'It was a good cut," he admitted, 'but I regret it."
The director said that repeatedly watching the film during its theatrical run made him keenly aware of what was missing. He had hoped to use the Netflix release as an opportunity to restore those lost moments.
'I wanted to add seven more minutes to the Netflix version. Even if I didn't finish it in 3.45, I finished it in 3.30. I regret that a lot," he added.
However, when Animal finally premiered on Netflix, fans noticed that it mirrored the theatrical release exactly — with no added footage.
Despite the omission, Animal became a career-defining moment for many involved. Ranbir Kapoor received widespread acclaim for his intense performance, Bobby Deol saw a resurgence as a menacing antagonist, and Triptii Dimri garnered attention for her nuanced role.
The excitement around the film has now shifted to its upcoming sequel, Animal Park, which is currently in development and slated for release in 2027. With fans eagerly awaiting what Vanga calls a darker and more twisted continuation, one can only hope the director gets to share his full vision this time — no trims, no compromises.
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