Parineeti Chopra declined Rashmika Mandanna's role in Ranbir Kapoor starrer Animal; read why

Bollywood actor Parineeti Chopra was initially approached for the character of Rashmika Mandanna in Sandeep Vanga Reddy's Animal. However, circumstances didn't align favourably. Animal, which stars Ranbir Kapoor in the lead, hit the theatres on Friday.

Hyderabad: The highly anticipated film Animal, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna in the lead roles, has finally hit the silver screens on December 1. Directed by Sandeep Vanga Reddy, the film also features Bobby Deol, and Anil Kapoor in significant roles. Initially, it was Parineeti Chopra who was supposed to play the female lead role, but eventually, it went to Rashmika. Read on to know what happened.

Originally, Parineeti Chopra was set to portray the character of Geetanjali Singh in Animal. The announcement of Sandeep Vanga Reddy's directorial venture was made in 2021, with Parineeti attached to it. However, reportedly, she had to step away from the project due to her commitment to Imtiaz Ali's Amar Singh Chamkila, in which she stars alongside Diljit Dosanjh.

A newswire reports that due to this development, she won't be able to shoot for Animal as there is a major overlap of dates between the two films, and she has to immediately prepare for the shoot of Chamkila.

Nevertheless, another report claims that Sandeep deemed Parineeti unsuitable during the trial shoots. After the announcement of Rashmika as the lead female actor, Parineeti shared with a newswire, "Such things happen, it is part and parcel of life. We have to make these choices every day. You must make the choice that is right for you."

During an event, Sandeep spoke about Rashmika's portrayal of Geetanjali in Animal, highlighting that she understands the protagonist on a level even deeper than his parents. He emphasized the significance of this unique and important character who will have a substantial presence throughout the film.

Animal was released theatrically on December 1, coinciding with the release of Vicky Kaushal's Sam Bahadur. Originally slated for August, the film's release was postponed due to some pending post-production work. Alia Bhatt watched the film before its release and was surrounded by the media outside the cinema hall. With a smile, she praised the movie, calling it 'outstanding'. She added, "khatarnaak, khatarnaak" and then departed from the area.