As Ram Gopal Varma’s cult classic Shiva gears up for its grand 4K re-release, conversations around the film have sparked nostalgia and unexpected revelations. During a recent promotional discussion featuring Animal director Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Nagarjuna Akkineni, and RGV himself, fans were treated to an intriguing behind-the-scenes story — one that connected Nagarjuna’s Shiva legacy to Ranbir Kapoor’s passion for Animal.In the now-viral clip from the discussion, Nagarjuna revealed how deeply invested Ranbir was in Animal long before filming even began. When Ram Gopal Varma asked Sandeep if any actor had doubts before signing the film, Sandeep said, “Ranbir never had a doubt.” Nagarjuna then interjected, sharing a personal anecdote from the time they worked together on Brahmastra.“That time, I was doing Brahmastra with him, and he was only talking about Animal that he was going to start. He hadn’t even begun shooting yet,” recalled Nagarjuna.He added that Ranbir was studying scenes from Sandeep’s earlier film Arjun Reddy with keen interest. “He was pulling out Arjun Reddy — not the Hindi version, but the Telugu one — and showing me some scenes. I remember one sequence where Vijay (Deverakonda) is kissing a girl, and Ranbir was showing me how real it looked. He was very, very excited to start that film,” he shared.Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, the presented Ranbir in a raw, intense avatar unlike anything audiences had seen before. With its emotional depth, brutal action, and complex father-son dynamic, Animal became a cultural phenomenon — grossing over Rs 900 crore worldwide and earning Ranbir widespread acclaim for his fearless performance.
Shiva returns to theatres in 4K
Meanwhile, Shiva — Ram Gopal Varma’s game-changing 1989 film starring Nagarjuna Akkineni, Amala Akkineni, Raghuvaran, and Tanikella Bharani — is set for a grand re-release in 4K with Dolby Atmos on November 14. Varma revealed that the film drew inspiration from Bruce Lee’s Return of the Dragon. After Animal, Sandeep Reddy Vanga is now working on Spirit, starring Prabhas in the lead role. The film also features Triptii Dimri, Kanchana, and Prakash Raj, with Prabhas set to play a fierce, no-nonsense cop.
