Sandeep Reddy Vanga, the director of the controversial yet commercially successful film Animal, has expressed regret over cutting approximately seven minutes from the movie's theatrical release. Despite the film's long runtime, exceeding three hours, Vanga felt pressured to trim it before release. He believes these missing scenes could have enriched the film's depth and provided a deeper exploration of its themes.

Vanga revealed that the initial cut of Animal was three hours and 45 minutes. He managed to bring it down to three hours and 30 minutes, which he considered satisfactory. However, facing pressure in the week leading up to the release, he reluctantly excised another seven minutes. While acknowledging that it "was a good cut," he later regretted the decision after watching the theatrical version with audiences.

Animal, starring Ranbir Kapoor, sparked considerable debate and resonated with audiences due to its intense emotional core, stylized violence, and complex portrayal of a father-son dynamic. Vanga hoped to restore the deleted scenes for the film's Netflix release, aiming to present his original vision. "I wanted to add seven more minutes to the Netflix version. Even if I didn't finish it in 3.45, I finished it in 3.30,” he said. “I regret that a lot". However, the version released on the OTT platform remained identical to the theatrical cut.

A deleted scene featuring a drunk Ranbir Kapoor in a plane cockpit surfaced online, igniting further discussion among fans. The scene, set to the backdrop of "Papa Meri Jaan," depicts Kapoor's character silently expressing agony after killing his brother. Many viewers questioned why such an intense and visually striking moment was omitted from the final film, with some calling for a director's cut.

Vanga had previously mentioned editing the Netflix version to include additional shots, stating that he should have kept the three-hour and 30-minute version but had to cut eight to nine minutes due to pressure. He also expressed interest in releasing a Blu-ray version of the film. However, contrary to initial hopes, an extended cut was not released on OTT platforms. Vanga explained that he removed scenes he felt were unnecessary and didn't consider them essential for the OTT release.

Despite the director's regrets and fan enthusiasm for the deleted content, there are currently no plans to release an extended version of Animal. The film, which grossed over ₹900 crore worldwide, is slated to have a sequel titled Animal Park, expected to release in 2027.