Animal Actor Davy Grewal Is Building His Career One Role at a Time- from Courtrooms to Cinema

Before sharing screen space with Ranbir Kapoor in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s blockbuster Animal, Davy Grewal was balancing two very different worlds – arguing cases as an advocate in Ludhiana and performing socially driven theatre across Punjab. Today, the advocate-turned-actor is quietly emerging as one of the industry’s promising new faces, choosing substance over shortcuts as he builds a career across Hindi and Punjabi cinema.

Born and raised in Ludhiana, Punjab, Grewal’s acting journey began on stage long before he entered films. Since 2015, he has performed in nearly 20 Hindi and Punjabi theatre productions, many highlighting important social issues including drug abuse, de-addiction and community awareness through performances across villages in Punjab. A law graduate from Punjabi University, Patiala Campus, and a Master’s in Social Work from Panjab University, Chandigarh, Grewal continues to practise as an advocate alongside his acting career, bringing the same discipline and commitment to both professions.

His first major breakthrough came with the widely acclaimed Punjabi web series Yaar Jigree Kasooti Degree, where his portrayal of Vijay Raj Singh Cheema earned him widespread appreciation and established him as a familiar face among audiences. “Yaar Jigree Kasooti Degree will always hold a special place in my heart because it gave me my first major break. The love I received for that character gave me the confidence to believe I could build a career as an actor. Even today, people recognise me because of that role, and I’m grateful for everything it gave me,” says Grewal.

Addressing questions around his absence from the upcoming Yaar Jigree Kasooti Degree film, Grewal says he views it simply as part of an actor’s professional journey. “Initially, I had committed to the project, but circumstances changed over time and we couldn’t align commercially. I have immense respect for the makers, and sometimes careers simply move in different directions. My focus has always been on growing as an actor and looking ahead.”

Following the success of the series, Grewal appeared in Netflix’s CAT alongside Randeep Hooda before landing his biggest Bollywood opportunity to date in Animal. Selected through a rigorous audition process, he portrayed Sangram Singh, one of Ranbir Kapoor’s cousins, in one of Indian cinema’s biggest box-office successes.

Davy shared, “Working on Animal was a defining experience in my journey. Sharing screen space with Ranbir Kapoor and working under Sandeep Reddy Vanga taught me so much as an actor. Being selected through auditions for a film of that scale made the opportunity even more meaningful.”

Following Animal, Grewal made his Punjabi film debut with Gangland and is now focused on building a diverse body of work across both Hindi and Punjabi cinema. Rather than rushing into every opportunity, he says his priority is to choose characters that challenge him and allow him to continue evolving as a performer. “I’ve never believed in signing every project that comes my way. I want every role to teach me something new and help me grow as an actor. For me, it’s about longevity, not speed.”
While discussions around upcoming projects continue, Grewal hopes to collaborate with filmmakers including Imtiaz Ali, Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and S. S. Rajamouli, while continuing to explore meaningful stories in Punjabi cinema.
For Grewal, however, success is measured less by numbers than by the connection he builds with audiences.
“People often talk about social media followers, but genuine love from the audience means much more to me. Every time someone recognises me because of my work, it reminds me why I chose this path. I promise my audience that I’ll continue working hard, choosing meaningful projects and always giving my best.”