Picking his favourite co-star comes easy to Bobby Deol. "Papa is a professional, and knows exactly what he wants to do in each scene," he says of his superstar father and screen idol Dharmendra. Naturally then, the actor is thrilled at the prospect of reuniting with his father and brother Sunny Deol for Apne 2. Director Anil Sharma will return to helm the sequel.

Where the 2007 drama revolved around a family united by their love for boxing, Bobby reveals the second instalment will offer a fresh story. "I believe papa, bhaiyya and I have an innate chemistry, which clicks with the audience. The Deols are known to be a close-knit family, and [our values] are reflected in the family dramas we make. The familial relationships were the USP of Apne," says the actor, who will reunite with the duo two years after Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se (2018).

The film is slated to roll by mid-2021. The lockdown may have seen Dharmendra, 85, take in the simple pleasures of farm life, but his first love has been calling out to him. "Papa can't wait to face the camera. He has been working since he was a teenager and is a complete workaholic. We will definitely take the necessary precautions; endangering his life during the shoot is out of the question. We are hoping that by the time the movie rolls, things will be better."

It is evident that Bobby is enjoying his second innings in showbiz, balancing mainstream films Race 3 (2018) and Housefull 4 (2019) with digital offerings in Class Of '83 and Aashram. However, his self-styled godman act did not go down well with a section of viewers, who felt that the Prakash Jha-directed web series hurt religious sentiments. "As an actor, it is my job to play different kinds of characters. I will never do anything that will bring shame to our country. But Aashram reflects what is happening in our society," he states. Earlier this week, Jha and MX Player were served a legal notice by Karni Sena, which claimed that the series targets "the ancient tradition, customs and Hindu culture" and demanded that the release of the second part be stalled.