Fact Check: Why Rashmika Replaced First-Choice Parineeti Chopra In ‘Animal’?

Mumbai: Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna’s ‘Animal’ has been raking in the moolah.

In just over three weeks since its release, Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s film has grossed close to Rs 550 crore in India and over Rs 870 crore worldwide.

If the audience is loving Ranbir as an alpha-male in this crime drama, his chemistry with Rashmika has left its mark as well.

Rashmika, however, may not have featured in ‘Animal’ at all.

It was Parineeti Chopra who was the first choice to play the role of Geetanjali, Ranbir’s love interest in ‘Animal’.

Sandeep revealed in a recent interview that he had signed Parineeti much before shooting started for ‘Animal’, but realised after the look test that she was not cut out for Geetanjali’s character.

And once he broke the news to the ‘Hasee Toh Phasee’ actress, she was very upset.

“Actually, galti mera hi hai. I said, ‘Ho sake toh maaf karo mujhe’ (It’s my fault. I told her to forgive me). I signed her (Parineeti) one-and-a-half years before the shoot and, for some reason, I didn’t see Geetanjali in her. Kuch kuch characters kuch kuch logo ko set nahi hota hai (Some characters don’t fit certain people),” Sandeep told trade analyst Komal Nahta.

Parineeti was also Sandeep’s choice for ‘Kabir Singh’ opposite Shahid Kapoor, but the role ultimately went to Kiara Advani.

“Main kabhi audition main believe nahi karta (I don’t believe in auditions). I go by my instinct only. That I know. From day one I have liked her acting and I always wanted to cast her as Preeti, also in ‘Kabir Singh’ but hua nahi uss time (It did not work out).

“That’s long due. I always wanted to work with her. I told her and she also knows that. I told her, ‘Sorry, nothing is bigger than the film. So I’m taking this decision and going ahead with another artist.’ She felt bad, but she understood why I was saying that,” the director added.

‘Animal’, which released in theatres on December 1, also features Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol and Triptii Dimri.