Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Animal’: brands are on the hunt

Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Animal’ has roared in the box office to become the second-highest global opener of Bollywood movies in 2023, generating both praise and controversy.

Portraying a complicated father-son relationship and a glamorous family, the movie has paved the way for a flood of not-s0-subtle brand collaborations or integrations from high-end names largely associated with wealth and privilege. Here are some of the famous names we could spot:

Apple and other gadgets:

‘Animal’s’ protagonists are regularly seen with Apple iPhones, watches, Macbooks, and Airpods throughout the movie, during action scenes or when they are indulging in conversations. Apart from that, aviation headphones from Global Business Headsets also get a little spotlight.

Ray-Ban and other accessories:

The film opens with Ranbir Kapoor in Ray-Ban glasses, and the trend continues throughout the film. He wears a gold-plated Rolex in almost all scenes, the Adidas cap made a regular impact across the film, and Tom Ford, a luxury apparel brand, highlights how the protagonist radiates luxury even in his underwear choices.

Range Rover Vogue and other luxury cars:

Inimical to luxury, this vehicle was particularly highlighted in the film. There is a 5-second frame of not one, not two, but six Range Rovers in the sun, with Ranbir Kapoor’s character and his henchmen stepping out of them, signifying power and privilege.

There are other brands which were either mentioned, endorsed or highlighted. Swiggy received a mention by a lead character in the movie; and Bridgestone, a tyre and rubber company, was also featured in some scenes in a village.

The most surprising endorsement was, however, ‘Animal’s 500-kilogram machine gun, manufactured in India, ‘Arma Nirbhar Bharat‘. This was the highlight of action scenes throughout the movie, and while it was trolled as a CGI creation on social media, the production designer of the film stressed that the gun was built from scratch using real steel.

However, it is important to remember that neither ‘Animal’ nor any brands have officially disclosed any collaborations. The involvement of these luxury products may not be integrations at all, but may have merely been done to establish the setting of the movie and thus indicate the wealthy and privileged lifestyle of the protagonist in question. However, they result in implicit endorsement of the products.