Bobby Deol on Animal's ‘toxic masculinity’ criticism: ‘Films are influenced by society’

Actor Bobby Deol reacts to his character Abrar becoming a craze, the chatter around Animal, and more.

His voice gets emotional even as he talks to us. Bobby Deol is witnessing something not many actors get to see in their lives. For someone who started off as a big star, then witnessed a slump, only to rise again like this, it’s only natural that he is speechless. Animal, his latest release, has left fans asking for more.

Actor Bobby Deol is garnering a lot of praise for his role in the film Animal.

“I cannot understand how to process this. As an actor, you are always waiting for that moment when you get recognition, it is like a dream. God has been kind. Hard work turns into luck. I always had self belief, I knew I had so much to give. Thanks to my director Sandeep Reddy Vanga for changing my life,” he gushes.

A video of him breaking down after exiting a theatre in Mumbai went viral. The 54-year-old says, “Imagine you waited for an opportunity in your life to happen, it’s been long. And you have been working hard too. Anybody in my place would break down. The passion I have for my work, the love I have for my industry... I didn’t know how to control my emotions.”

Animal, apart from collecting a lot of money, has also left the audiences divided. One section has loved it, while the other has been critical of various aspects, one being toxic masculinity. Certain scenes have left viewers shocked. To this, Deol replies, “I am an actor who wants to play characters. I am not out there promoting anything. I do roles which challenge me. What is storytelling? Stories are influenced by what’s happening in our society. It’s just that people don’t want to talk about those things because they want to believe that doesn’t exist. I am just an actor trying to entertain. Box office collections itself says it that people are loving it.”