Ananya Lohia , Mumbai - Bobby Deol has opened up about how his father, veteran star Dharmendra, reacted to his role as the antagonist in Animal. The actor revealed that Dharmendra was initially surprised to learn that Bobby was playing a villain, despite the role eventually becoming one of the biggest highlights of his career comeback.

Bobby’s revival in the film industry started with a supporting role in Race 3 alongside Salman Khan and later gained momentum through Aashram directed by Prakash Jha. However, it was his intense performance as Abrar Haque in Animal that brought him back into mainstream success. Speaking on Shekhar Tonite hosted by Shekhar Suman, Bobby shared how director Sandeep Reddy Vanga approached him after seeing a viral photo of him sitting with a serious expression at a sporting event.

Recalling his father’s reaction after the film released, Bobby said, “Papa said, ‘Tu villain hai?’ I said, ‘Hanji papa, but acha role hai papa.’” Despite appearing for only a few minutes in the second half, Bobby’s character left a major impact on audiences and critics alike. The film, led by Ranbir Kapoor along with Rashmika Mandanna, Anil Kapoor and Triptii Dimri, went on to earn more than ₹900 crore worldwide.

Following the massive success of Animal, Bobby continued his streak of negative roles in films like Kanguva, Daaku Maharaj and Hari Hara Veera Mallu. The actor will next be seen in Bandar directed by Anurag Kashyap and Alpha starring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari.