Animal actor Charu Shankar talks about playing Ranbir Kapoor’s mother despite their 1 year age gap

Animal has become a rager at the box office. The Ranbir Kapoor starrer is inching closer to minting Rs 500 crore at the domestic box office. Charu Sarkar, who played the actor’s mother has now opened up about the age difference between Ranbir and him and other aspects about her role in the film. 

Charu Shankar says director Sandeep Reddy Vanga thought she was the ideal person for the part 

In an interview with Free Press Journal, Charu Shankar spoke extensively about her role in Animal. The actress first heaped praises on the film and mentioned that she had not been a part of such a large-scale production earlier. She added that it was the director Sandeep Reddy Vanga who believed she would be the right fit for the role of Jyoti. 

The actress told the publication, “It has been a wild ride. I’ve never been part of a movie on a scale like this, with a storyline so different. I’m immensely grateful for its success. My character Jyoti establishes the central conflict of the story right at the start of the film, when Ranbir's character is a young boy. Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga believed I was the right choice for this crucial part of his story and that’s how I came on board.” 

Charu Shankar gives her views on the age-gap debate in Bollywood 

Charu Shankar, 42 years old plays the role of Ranbir Kapoor’s mother in the film, while the latter himself is 41 years old. The casting has raised debate about the age-gap discussion in the industry. Speaking about the same the actress said, “The age-gap debate is a very old one, and a very valid one. But this is a larger question for the powers that be in Bollywood, Hollywood and in every industry. Despite the minimal age difference, I said yes to the film because I love the craft of acting. I love to research my characters, to find the characters voice, her posture, her backstory - all of that. To me, to be given a role which is far away from my own life, is a delicious challenge which I love to bite into. The scale of this film was huge, and I’m happy that my work has been appreciated by audiences, and also by my wonderful co-stars and director.”