Karan Deol on matters of the heart, the senior Deols and why he chose to make his big Bollywood debut with a love story
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 28, 2019)

Karan Deol looks comfortable seated in a sea-facing room of a suburban hotel. He is the third generation of the Deols, gearing up for his Bollywood debut in daddy Sunny’s third directorial, Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, and gleefully informs that his first media interaction happened at age seven. “My grandfather (Dharmendra) was in an interview while I sat quietly nearby, playing with my toys, when he suddenly called out to me. Being a shy kid, I was hesitant, but he pulled me to his side and urged me to speak. It’s a cute memory,” he smiles.

Karan’s nickname is Rocky because Sunny is a huge fan of Sylvester Stallone and the Rocky films. Given that the Deols are known for their action films, it’s unusual that he is starting his career with a love story. “I’m an intense romantic and I’m starting with a love story because I found it interesting. While we were brainstorming, the idea just came up and Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas was born. Having said that, there is action in the film too as another side to my character is unveiled later in the film. It’s a film about external factors which influence the lives of the couple and try to stop the romance from blossoming,” explains the debutant, promising an interesting outing at the theatres. He then goes on to surprise you by revealing that there is a scene in the film in which his dialogue is similar to his father’s iconic line, “Yeh dhai kilo ka haath” from his 1993 crime drama Damini.

In school, Karan was a reserved kid who wanted to take part in plays but was too scared to do so and would find comfort in films instead. He would watch animation, the Star Wars franchise and Quentin Tarantino films. “When I felt low, I used music to vent. I started writing poetry when I was 12 and it went on to become a hobby. I still have most of them except for the earlier ones, I wish I had preserved them too. I have also written some short stories and given a chance, I would love to write a script too,” avers Karan, adding that love and angst are his two favourite topics to write on.

He broke the news of wanting to be an actor to his father first. “Dad said we have to tell my grandfather as he is the boss in the house. When I did, he promised his support but cautioned me about the competition, asserting that I had to be mentally and emotionally strong,” flashbacks the youngster, admitting that while he is a quiet guy in real life, he becomes the character and enjoys the moment while on set. “My grandfather was nervous for me, but gradually everyone eased into the idea,” he shares. They shot across Himachal Pradesh in extreme conditions, going to places which didn’t have proper roads. “But dad is a taskmaster and we’d trek for a couple of hours, set up the shot and shoot. I wonder if many of those locations have even been seen on screen before,” Karan points out, adding that at night, the temperature would go down to minus three-four degrees, which was physically challenging, but the memories will always be warm. Prod him for details and he recalls a wall of ice which he had to slide on with co-star Sahher Bambba. “There was a waterfall too, a blast of cold wind and icicles. We had to keep going with a smile on our faces. It was scary but gave us an adrenaline rush,” he informs.

The film had been in the making for a long time and there have been sporadic rumours that certain portions were reshot. Karan attributes this to global warming which has made the weather unpredictable all over the world. “When we were in Manali, the monsoons kicked in early. When the rains continued for a week, we had no option but to return home. It even started snowing early but dad was determined to shoot at these same locations, so we waited,” he reveals, adding that sometimes they had to reshoot because the framing went wrong in all the chaos. “If it wasn’t for this, we’d have finished earlier.”

What’s his favourite Dharmendra film? Pat comes the answer, “Chupke Chupke.” And a film of Sunny’s which he likes the best? “Arjun,” he replies, recalling that the umbrella sequence in the 1985 Rahul Rawail directorial was fabulous. “It is a film that can be remade today. It was about politics and a young man. The aesthetics may have changed but the topic is still relevant.”

The family was ecstatic when Sunny won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Gurdaspur in May. Karan informs that his father doesn’t discuss politics at home, it’s always movies. “We didn’t know what to expect when he was getting into politics but were happy for him when he was elected. He went through a lot and deserved it,” says Deol Jr.

Buzz is, the debutant already has another film in his kitty. Hesitantly, but with a big smile, Karan nods, “I do. It is a comedy, very different from what I have done in my first film.”

One last question: Is he in love, for real? “I am somewhat in love I would say,” he blushes and clams up.