Ranbir Kapoor's Animal is ‘copied’ from Akshay Kumar's Jaanwar, says Suneel Darshan: ‘Had the producer acknowledged…’
Filmmaker Suneel Darshan claimed similarities between Ranbir Kapoor's Animal and Akshay Kumar's Jaanwar.
Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal created a stir at the box office upon its release in 2023. At the time, the film was also compared to Akshay Kumar's Jaanwar, as many viewers noticed similarities in their plots. Now, in an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Jaanwar director Suneel Darshan has accused Vanga of copying his film.
Suneel Darshan says Animal is copied from Jaanwar
When asked if he wants to remake any of his films, Suneel said, “Main kaise banaun? Meri filmon ki nakal itne log kar chuke hain. Ek film hai Jaanwar. Jaanwar ka English kya hota hai? Uski kahaani kaunsi hai? Aapne Animal dekhi hai na? Aapko pata hai na kaunsi kahaani hai? Lekin main claim nahi karta, kyunki us director ki treatment bahut anokhi thi, aur bahut achhe tareeke se usne us film ko treat kiya. But if the producer had acknowledged the truth, it would have been much better (How do I make films now? So many people have already copied my work. There’s a film called Jaanwar. What is the English word for Jaanwar? What’s the story of that film? You’ve seen Animal, right? You know which story I’m talking about. But I don’t make any claims, because the director’s treatment was very unique, and he handled the film very well).”
He added, "I thought it was better to stay silent, because somehow, there have been other films like this too, and they’ve been massive hits. I feel like I’m inspiring people. My cinema is continuing to inspire them, and those films are becoming huge blockbusters. There’s one hero, a very big star, who also did a film that’s very, very similar to mine. And the writer from whom they bought the story is also a very big name. That film too was a massive hit. So if you see the film, it's strangely very similar to my film."
About Jaanwar and Animal
Jaanwar stars Akshay Kumar as Babu, an orphan who becomes a feared criminal under a gangster’s influence. After a tragic incident, Babu reforms his life and adopts an abandoned child, raising him with love and honesty. However, his past resurfaces, threatening the peaceful life he has built. The film focuses on his journey of redemption, the power of fatherhood, and the struggle to escape a violent past.
On the other hand, Animal stars Ranbir Kapoor as Arjun, the son of a powerful industrialist, and explores his troubled relationship with his father. This relationship further deteriorates after an assassination attempt, leading Arjun down a brutal path of vengeance and destruction. While both stories are structurally different, many fans found thematic and visual similarities between the two films.
Both films were commercial successes. Released in 1999, Jaanwar became one of the highest-grossing films of that year. Similarly, Animal, released in 2023, was a major box-office success, earning ₹915 crore worldwide, despite facing criticism for its violence and misogynistic tone.
