Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; September 18, 2019)

It is difficult to gauge who is more under pressure. The young star kid, who is all set to take his family legacy forward, or the doting father, who is directing his son in his debut film. But what’s certain is that both Sunny Deol and his son Karan have put their best foot forward with an honest film. Here’s how the Deol-duo feel about their first joint labour of love, Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas (PPDKP).

Karan, you have a legacy to live up to — you are the grandson of Dharmendra and Sunny Deol’s son. Now that your acting debut, PPDKP, is all set to hit the screens, are you nervous or excited?
There is nervousness and anxiety. Honestly, amid so many things happening around the film, nothing has really sunk in yet. I couldn’t even celebrate the launch of the first song and the movie’s first trailer.

Sunny, are you anxious about Karan’s big day that’s coming up this week?
As a father, I have been nervous for over a period of time. I want everything to fall into place. Now, I understand what my father must have gone through (during my debut Betaab in 1983). You understand the magnitude of a situation only when you are in it. I am also excited at the same time. We have worked really hard on this film. Everyone does it, but it took us extra time because of the unpredictable and extreme weather conditions in Himachal Pradesh, where we shot the film. Besides, it’s a task to find a good release date.

Karan, with your father behind the camera, did you, at any point, feel awkward to perform, especially the romantic scenes?
I got so used to the process of having him behind the camera that it didn’t feel awkward. We had become professionals. I would just switch off, get into that zone and perform without thinking about anything else.

Sunny, what made you think that a romantic film was the best script to launch your son, given that Bollywood is experimenting a lot with storytelling and genres these days?
It’s my belief that this is the age when you are tender and vulnerable, and this lasts only for a few years. Hence, I zeroed in on this subject. It’s not that kind of a romantic film ki bas gaana gaaye. It’s a beautiful story with layers. People don’t call Gadar — Ek Prem Katha (2001) a romantic film, but for me, it is. Hum log bas naam de dete hain. PPDKP is about the meeting of two souls who have their own personalities. This is the right time to make this film because they know only so much about life at the moment. It would have been a misfit If I had made this film two or three years later with them (Karan and Sahher Bambba). They have many years ahead of them to explore other genres.

Karan, did dad ever lose his cool on the set?
Dad would be stern, but he never lost his cool. He is a taskmaster on the set. It would get difficult, but he was doing it for my own good. He always pushed me to give my best and grow as an actor. Since I am extremely self-critical, there were times when I wondered if I was cut out for it (acting). But looking back, I feel that he got the best out of me and knew what he was doing.

Sunny, how different is your equation with Karan from what it has been with your father, Dharmendra? Are you more like a friend to your son?
Sunny: When I was growing up, my father was shooting round the clock. I would hardly get to see him. We were a joint family and my father was someone we were scared of. We did so much mischief that we were perpetually scared of our mom telling him about it. I only fear my dad in this world, but there is love and respect, too. I care two hoots about anything else, but if my dad says something, I will always do it. That’s the equation I have with him and I am proud of it. With my son, I try not to repeat what we missed out on while we were growing up. Obviously, the fear factor is still there, but I prefer talking about things and not insisting that they should be done in a certain way. Even I couldn’t be around all the time due to my work schedules. Moreover, I think boys are closer to their mothers and girls are closer to their fathers. These couple of years that we worked together have brought us closer and we understand each other better. During the process of making this film, we tackled hardships together.
Karan: I am closer to my mother. Dad, as he said, was working and was there whenever he could make time. When you grow up with your mom around all the time, you develop a stronger bond with her and confide in her. I think I have become more open with dad after working together. I feel respect, fear and love for him.

Earlier, actors were very straight-jacketed, in the sense that the audience wanted to see Sunny Deol only in his action avatar. Today, with the kind of stories being told, an actor isn’t restricted as much. What do you think about this aspect of your profession which has changed with time, for the better?
Sunny: It is a great time to be in the movies, but I am still waiting for somebody to come along with something that’s interesting. As of now, the feeling is that people want to see me only do something specific. In certain films, like Damini (1993), I was roped in to play a guest role. Nobody, including me, knew how it would turn out. It went on to break boundaries. No one must have envisioned me in that space before that film happened. When I entered the industry, I didn’t want to do Manmohan Desai kind of films, I wasn’t a part of them. I did Arjun (1985) and Yateem (1988) because that kind of cinema resonated with me. I collaborated with new talent to make the kind of cinema I related to. However, after a certain point, I did not get anything different that would prompt me to venture into a new space; that’s been a shortcoming. Luckily, people still remember my work, some of it has become iconic, which I never thought would be the case.

As opposed to earlier times, there is lesser curiosity around the launch of a star kid now, due to excessive social media exposure. Also, do you think that oldschool die-hard loyalty towards filmi families is dipping?
Sunny: I don’t think it’s about loyalty. The younger generation is not aware of how big the actors of the previous generation were. Had I launched Rocky (Karan’s nick name) just after Gadar — if he was of that age — it would have been a different scenario. The change is good in a way. You won’t get preference just because you are a star son. It’s good in a way. Give me one example where a film has become a hit just because it features star son. A film has worked because of the content. Many of them became ‘somebody’ after a few films. In reality, it is a huge burden to be a star kid, because people judge you even before your film has released. Karan, did you also grow up watching your father’s films? Did you ever accompany him to his set?
Karan: Oh, yes. We would watch the premiere of his films. I did accompany him to the sets of his films, but I was too young to recollect the experience.
Sunny: I remember this one time when I was shooting a song with Juhi Chawla at Kamalistan. She had to hug me in one of the scenes. Karan was in the car and he started crying. He won’t remember it because he was too young. For him, it was more about…What is my dad doing? (laughs!). He was extremely upset about it.

Sunny, will we see you directing more? Would you like to explore other genres as an actor and director as well?
Yes, definitely. Right now, I will take a pause after three years of working on this film right from scripting to shooting. I can explore any subject. As a human being, you feel every emotion. I, too, experience all of them. It’s just that I have controlled some and not let them out (laughs!). You release them when you get a character to play those emotions. I don’t smoke or drink, but then I did Damini. I don’t know Sanskrit, but I did Mohalla Assi (2018). I didn’t attend any workshops, I just dived into the character. I enjoy the process as it lets another side of Sunny come out. But somehow people like the one that is angry (laughs!).

Karan, don’t you think that the Deol fans would want to see you attempt an action film, just as an ode to your father...
People have liked the bit of my action avatar in the trailer of the film. It’s natural of them to expect that from me and I can’t run away from it. Out of love, they want to see me in that avatar.

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.

Sunny Deol on why cinema one believes in should take precedence over what’s in vogue and passing on the family legacy to the third generation
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 1, 2019)

Sunny Deol is gearing up to unveil the third generation of Deols with his son, Karan, opposite another debutante, Sahher Bambba, in his next directorial, Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas. He is understandably all nerves. “I was the first in our generation to be launched and this film made me realise what my dad (Dharmendra) must have gone through during Betaab. Unless you become a father yourself, you can’t empathise with this pain, fear and love,” the actor-filmmaker admits, recalling how when he was shooting the action sequences, the director in him would relentlessly push Karan, but watching him plummet 400 feet, his heart in his mouth, he forgot to record the stunt.

“It was taxing,” he shudders, admitting that he got even more nervous watching the scenes he’d shot, wondering if he could have bettered it. “Despite all the films and years of experience, I’m unsure, so then, I decided to do my work honestly and leave the rest to the audience. Sometimes what feels wrong to me, is okay with them since they don’t know the story.”

Sunny’s equally nervous for his son, wondering if Karan will be able to handle things. “Then, I remind myself that I did, so he will too. Still, given that he comes from a protective family, it’s good I’ve directed his first film. It’s important for a newcomer to be fathered and while filmmakers in our time were more approachable, the scenario has changed today,” he sighs. So, has he prepared his son for what is to come? He points out that no matter how much a parent does, the battle must be fought by the child. “Karan must be telling himself that he can and will be able to tackle anything. At that age you believe you are invincible,” he chuckles.

You wonder if Deol Jr was always inclined towards films and Sunny looking bemused, says Karan spoke about becoming an actor after completing high school. “So, I sent him abroad because here being an actor’s son, it’d be difficult for him to interact with people normally and expect them to judge him like any other guy. For me, there’s no better career than films and if my son wants to dabble in the arts, I couldn’t be happier,” he smiles.

Sunny’s known to be a hard-to-please actor, is he a perfectionist director too, you wonder, and he guffaws, “Perfection is difficult to achieve, and it is boring. What I was looking for was vulnerability. The beauty of a love story lies in innocent faces. Sadly, that innocence fades away after the first film,” he rues. But the Deols are all heart with the dhai kilo ka haath. Will that be passed on to Karan as his legacy? “I wouldn’t call it a legacy since we haven’t inherited it. Our strength comes from our honesty and is embodied in the dhai kilo ka haath,” he elucidates.

After Karan, are there plans to launch Rajveer? “Definitely. After Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, the story is being written.” Will he direct him as well? “I’m open to another director, but I won’t run after someone. Unless the person is interested… baat nahin banti. All my life I’ve worked with people who are hungry, tabhi creativity mein maan aata hai,” he says.

Brother Bobby’s sons, Aryaman and Dharam, are also good-looking kids. Would he want to direct them too? “Why not? If I am capable. But they are still young, let them complete their education first, then if they want to get into films, I’m there for them,” Sunny smiles.

A performance that stands out is his National Award-winning turn in Damini with his bitter rant against blind-folded justice, “Tareekh pe tareekh...” With the Unnao rape case making headlines, the subject is still relevant. Ever thought of taking it forward? “Not the film, I’d like to take the character forward. I don’t drink or smoke so Govind evolved as Raj ji (director Rajkumar Santoshi) and I went along. He can be brought back, like Ajay Mehra in Ghayal: Once Again, if we can nail a story,” he avers. What about reports of reuniting with Santoshi? “Raj ji and I just met and Ghayal, Damini, Ghatak happened. Hope something like that just happens,” he smiles.

How about taking the Yamla Pagla Deewana franchise or even Gadar forward with Karan? “That would be beautiful if we can find a subject. There’s a lot of love for the Deols. YPD was an interesting concept but after the first film, we couldn’t get it right. Gadar, for me, is like Star Wars, the whole country has seen it. People see it as an Indo-Pak drama, I see it as a beautiful love story. With a great subject, it could be big,” he avers.

Sunny adds that he has not remixed or recreated his father’s Blackmail song for Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas despite borrowing its title. “It’s my favourite song but certain things should not be touched. Besides, there was the question of rights. Log humse pyaar toh bahut karte hain par jab hum unke paas jaate hain toh pyaar nahin dikhta. We have created another hummable title song,” he informs.

For Sunny there are two types of films—the nautanki kind and a cinema which is believable—and being a fan of Hollywood films, particularly the ones featuring James Dean, he enjoys and tries to emulate the latter. “I’m not praising yesteryear films or criticising the ones made today. All I’m saying is that don’t turn films into fast food. Everyone wants a hit, but don’t consciously work towards it. Sometimes, even I may have done films because of pressure, but for the most part, I’ve made films I believe in rather than run after what’s in vogue,” he says.

And what prompted him to get into politics after shying away from it for years? “I told myself, I never thought of becoming a producer, Ghayal made me one…. I never thought of direction till Dillagi hapened. Politics happened in the same way. When I was campaigning, I did not know what I’d have to do so I was just myself and that resonated with people. After I was elected, everyone I met, from a guy at the airport to an autorickshaw driver, looked at me with trust and hope. They’re happy for me, maybe happier than I am. And that gives me a sense of pride and responsibility. I’ve to live up to their expectations and I know I will. I always do what I want to do, what is required of me,” he signs off.

Over a decade after foraying into Telugu cinema, Arbaaz to make Kannada debut with an action comedy
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; February 2, 2019)

Before he dives headlong into the production of Dabangg 3, Arbaaz Khan has taken time out from his role of a producer to pursue his acting assignments. The actor is set to make his Kannada debut with Where Is My Kannadaka, an action comedy that also features Patralekhaa and Kannada star Ganesh.

“It’s always good to be a part of a good story,” beams Khan, when asked what made him give his nod to the venture that will be helmed by director duo Raaj and Damini. Few can boast of starting afresh after enjoying two decades in Bollywood, and the actor-producer hopes that his foray into a new industry will be a cherished experience. “I wanted to explore regional films. I have already done two Telugu films [Jai Chiranjeeva and Kittu Unnadu Jagratha] and I thoroughly enjoyed working in them. Now, I am looking forward to my first Kannada film.”

The movie, which will be reportedly shot in a start-to-finish schedule in London, sees Khan as a security chief. Damini, one half of the director-duo, says Khan fit the bill as the script demanded someone who was “good-looking and relatively quiet, but dynamic nonetheless.”

Ask her if the actor may face the language barrier and she says, “A large part of his dialogues are in English. As of now, we haven’t decided on the dubbing part.”

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; January 31, 2019)

An old adage says that people change with the changing times, but there are exceptions to every rule. Sunny Deol has never felt the need to reinvent or get in line with the current trends. He may be on social media, but he's not one to tom-tom about his banner or his own achievements. He believes in giving his best shot, even to those films that take several years in production. And he doesn't get bothered when these labour of love doesn't find a big audience. Strip away the stardom and Sunny is a Punjabi, proud of his roots; a man who takes pride in the fact that he made it big in Bollywood on his own terms. In a candid conversation with BT, he speaks about perceptions that drive the business, his dispassion for biopics and the crazy world of filmi equations. Excerpts...

You had two films, Bhaiaji Superhit and Mohalla Assi, stuck for seven years, while they finally released in 2018, neither managed to make any impact at the box office. That must have hurt?
It’s unbelievable, but both the films had started off in the same year, too. I did not disassociate myself from them because I think people remember how honest your performance was, irrespective of the fate of a film. Everyone wants their film to work, but unfortunately, our system functions on perceptions. If a film is not playing prominently, then it’s assumed that there’s a problem with it.

Also, people today know that they have other avenues to watch a film, so there’s no urgency to catch something first day, first show. Of course, some films get way more shows than others and that builds a different perception around them. The nature of our business is such that you can’t cry and crib about it. I’ve always worked with new filmmakers and never chased camps and big studios. But sometimes, I wonder whether managing the scale of a film’s release is also an actor’s job now?

The popular perception is that the Deols (Dharmendra, Sunny and Bobby) are people who make emotional decisions even in the professional space. It is also believed that this soft emotional side to you has led to instances where people from the industry have taken you for a ride. Has that changed in recent years?
Sometimes, I try to think about these things through my head, but my heart always wins over. But honestly, I feel I won’t be able to work if I think with just my head. Yes, when something goes wrong, we do analyse what didn’t work. Having said that, if we Deols had to change our approach to life and work, it would have happened a long time ago. After all the ups and downs we've gone through, we’re still the same. As for people taking us for a ride, I feel sad for those who did that to us. I feel terrible for the kind of people they are. Waise, maine theka nahi liya kisiko sudhaarne ka, it’s their karma. People only remember the film and the performances, not what went into it. So, we also don’t want publicity for anything other than our work.

From the time you made your debut with Betaab (1983) to now, is there a life lesson that you hold close to your heart?
I’ve learnt to be patient. I was an impatient person at the outset, but this profession taught me to keep my cool. You have to learn to control your anger and emotions at all times. There are moments when you do let go and that can damage your prospects. It hampers your performance on the big screen. That’s the reason I’ve calmed down a lot. People find it hard to believe that I don’t beat up people in real life. They expect me to do that, maybe because I do it so convincingly on camera, but in reality I often disappoint them.

Do you feel your peers like Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor have reinvented themselves as actors, but have you missed the bus?
There’s no such thing as catching or missing a bus. The moment a film does well, a mysterious bus just appears out of nowhere (laughs!). I have been busy with so many things in my life that I haven’t really concentrated on myself. Now, I am working on projects that will release in good time. Box office is very important, so you have to work in films that are more relevant today and made well, too. By that, I don’t mean I will start working in biopics, which are the in-thing today. For me, a realistic character is good enough.

So, you’re not interested in biopics?
I find biopics really gimmicky, unless they are made with realism. Border (1997), for instance, was based on a real story, but I wasn’t imitating anyone. You can’t possibly look like the person you’re playing in a biopic anyway.

As an actor, at this stage of your career, what’s your plan for the future?
I really don’t know. Everything will depend on what Rajkumar Santoshi and I do with our film, which starts soon. I am planning to work in many more films. I’ve always played characters that are mentally and physically strong, purely because of the way I look. I will continue doing that, but with a sight twist. I will play characters that are more real and ones that suit my age. I like what Clint Eastwood does. I mean, the film centres on him, but it’s a character, not a hero in the typical sense. I like strong characters. I played a lawyer in Damini (1993). It was a much smaller role, but had a lot for me to bite into. Trust me, no one wanted to take up that role. I was also told to drop out of it, but I didn’t. My approach to work will remain the same. I am not in a rush, I never was. If something comes to me, I will take it up if it offers me enough to do on screen. I am not lucky enough to deliver a bad film and still be a successful actor. More importantly, moving forward, I will see to it that I pick up projects where I only have to act, and not perform other duties. My kids are like me; it frightens me sometimes because they’re going to become actors and I know it will be tough for them.

Do you feel with changing times, films and filmmakers have started giving more importance to characters as opposed to the image of the actors who portray them?
We’ve always had characters in our films, but sometimes, we’ve had actors who are stars, which overpowered everything else. There was a phase like that. The thing is, if someone is a star, he or she will be followed no matter how good or bad they are as actors. That will never change no matter how much we change the industry’s dynamics.

In today’s day and age, people rave about their achievements, even the smallest of it. With directors like Rajkumar Santoshi and Imtiaz Ali having flourished under your banner, why does your family never step forward to take credit for it?
We don’t look for credit and we don’t want it. That's also the reason why we are lagging in the race. We have never been the type ki hum accha kaam karenge, aur phir jaa jaa ke bolenge ki dekho ji humne kuch accha kiya. People know what we have done and that’s why we are here, not because the industry was supportive of us. We, Deols, have never tried to cash in on our position as producers or as actors. I don’t know if that was right or wrong. I don’t even see my films. I am their worst critic and every actor should be just like that. We don’t need others to tell us where we went wrong, we all know it.

One of the new-age mechanisms to stay relevant in the news and to catch up with fans is to be on social media. You don’t seem to follow that trend at all.
Ranbir Kapoor is a modern-day star, but I don’t find him on social media. And he is relevant and has fans, right? I don’t know what is good or bad about social media, but everyone hangs out there. It’s seems to be a platform to advertise and I don’t see it achieving anything more. I don’t interact with people much on social media because if I sit and do that all day, when will I work? Yes, there are days when I am tempted to react to conversations on social media, but I don’t give in to it. I sometimes feel like switching off everything because it’s such a distraction. I might sound like an old timer, but people need to have some privacy, too. To a degree, stars should not complain about the social media activities because we have provoked people to pay attention to us all the time.

Actress cast opposite Ganesh in an action comedy that kicks off in April in London
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 30, 2019)

Patralekhaa, who made her Bollywood debut opposite actor-beau Rajkummar Rao in Hansal Mehta’s Citylights (2014), following it up with Love Games (2016) and Nanu Ki Janu (2018), is now gearing up for her Kannada debut. The actress will feature in an action-comedy titled Where Is My Kannadaka opposite actor Ganesh, who goes by the moniker of Golden Star.

According to a source close to the development, the film goes on floors in April and is set in London. “From script, screenplay to the star cast and shooting dates, everything is locked, and the team is now waiting to leave for the UK. It will be a start-tofinish schedule for the film,” the source informed, adding that that the makers are targeting a yearend release.

Pratralekhaa confirmed the news saying, “It’s my first Kannada film and I am super excited to be working on it with Raaj and Damini. While I can’t reveal much about the role right now, I can definitely say that it’s a kind of role that I haven’t portrayed on screen so far and that makes it more special.”

After the recent success of Prashanth Neel’s Yash-starrer KGF in the Hindi-speaking regions, the Kannada film industry, popularly known as Sandalwood, has gained a foothold among its Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam counterparts. Incidentally, Patralekhaa’s film also marks the directorial debut of husband-wife duo Raaj and Damini, who have previously helmed several television shows in Hindi and Kannada. 

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 8, 2018)

For years, he had nurtured the dream of becoming an actor, even confiding in his mother that he wanted to run away to Mumbai. She had stopped him, saying if he did, his strict schoolmaster father would turn her out too and suggested that he send out applications to film producers from Punjab instead. Dharamendra or Dharam Singh Deol as he was known then, had laughed at how ‘bholi’ she was. But soon afterwards, he saw an ad for the Filmfare talent-hunt contest inviting participants from across India, and filled out the application. He was shortlisted for the auditions and subsequently picked out as the winner by filmmakers Bimal Roy and Guru Dutt. And his dream of coming to (then) Bombay was realised.

Dharamji, who turns 83 today, is still just as passionate about films – he describes the medium as his “beloved” and asserts that he didn’t come here to make money or buy bungalows and cars. “I wanted to act so I could make a place for myself in people’s hearts. I rented an apartment initially and bought a Fiat car for Rs 18,000 (pictured on top) just before the release of my first film. I drove straight to the studio to give Bimal da the good news and took him out for a spin. He was very happy for me and assured me that I’d go far,” the actor reminisces, pointing out that though he’s not shrewd and manipulative, he’s survived in the industry for almost six decades and delivered over 100 hits with a lot of hard work and a “little bit of talent”.

Rajkumar Santoshi, a self-confessed Dharmendra fan, attributes the actor’s longevity as much to his versatility as to his innate goodness which his face reflects on screen, along with his honesty and simplicity. The filmmaker owes his break as a director in Ghayal to Dharam ji who put his trust in a rank newcomer who’d assisted Govind Nihalani and belonged to a different school of filmmaking. Santoshi’s original producer had dropped out because he wasn’t happy with his choice of hero, first Kamal Haasan, then, Sunny Deol. “Sunny took me to Rajasthan where Dharam ji was filming J P Dutta’s Batwara for a narration. He liked the story as much as Sunny had and asked me curiously if I was related to filmmaker P L Santoshi whom he knew well. On learning that I was his son, something I hadn’t divulged, he embraced me and told us to go ahead. Ghayal was the first film he lent his name to as a producer. It got us plenty of rewards and awards,” he says.

Santoshi goes on to point out that though a hugely under-rated actor, Dharamji’s range of histrionics in the films of the ’60s and ’70s had matched that of Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan. Four of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s films alone – Satyakam, Anupama, Guddi and Chupke Chupke – had showcased his talent in diverse performances. “He was the only one to stand up to the Rajesh Khanna popularity wave in the ’70s with hits like Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Samadhi and Sholay, in which, despite Sanjeev Kumar and Amjad Khan having author-backed roles and Amitabh Bachchan at his brooding best, Dharam ji managed to stand out with his ‘soocide’ act atop the water tank,” Santoshi, known as an actor’s director, says, adding that his comic timing is also impeccable, as seen in Sholay and Pratigya . “When he serenaded his heroine with a 'Rafta Rafta' or a 'Yamla Pagla Deewana', he made the romance seem real and while he was flexing his muscles as a He-Man, there was a vulnerability to him that made you want to protect him. Not to forget, he was voted among the 10 most handsome men in the world at one point, he didn’t need cosmetic surgery and his hair is his own. Today, he’s still a very good-looking 83-year-old man,” he asserts.

Dharamji’s cousin, Guddu Dhanoa, says he’s proud to have a brother who’s so handsome. “At airports and other public places, I could see waves of adulation and admiration follow him, along with cries of, ‘Dharmendra... Dharmendra,’” says the director of films like Ziddi, Bichhoo and 23rd March 1931: Shaheed featuring Sunny and Bobby. “I was so proud to have such a handsome brother, one who visited us in Delhi when I was still in school, bringing with him hordes of fans into our home who wanted to speak to him and touch him. Army jawans came in trucks and blocked our lane so he could not run away. He was at the height of his stardom then, and I’ve heard when because of date problems there was talk of him dropping out of Sholay, the price per territory for the film fell from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 12 lakh,” says Dhanoa.

When I ask Dharam ji who only this year was seen in Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se, for the reason he has remained in people’s hearts for so long, he typically replies with a shayari he had just penned, “Mauka diya muqaddar ne, dil-dimag ek hue, neki bhi saath hui, mehnat aur mashaqqat ke, manzilein tai hoti gayi, aur hum surkh-ruu hue.”

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 3, 2018)

Rajkumar Santoshi was on the train with his Andaz Apna Apna unit and pet Labrador, chugging towards Coimbatore for the film’s Ooty schedule, when his writer Sutanu Gupta narrated an incident from Kolkata when the bahu of a rich family moved court against her in-laws. From that was born the iconic courtroom drama, Damini, which opened on April 30, 1993. Twenty-five years later, it is still as relevant, with headline-grabbing rapes delivering repeated blows to women’s dignity and bringing to the fore the need for a collective voice against such crimes.

“During its making, I was told that maybe it should be Damini’s sister rather than the maid who should be attacked to justify her going against her husband and family but then there’d be no story,” recalls Santoshi. “There’s a saying that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

His belief that justice may be delayed but is never denied became the premise of the film and culminated in a judgement that came to be known as ‘Damini’s case’. There was no doubt in Santoshi’s mind about who’d play the title role. During Ghayal he’d promised Meenakshi Sheshadri that he’d return with a woman-centric subject and he admits he made Damini for her. He regrets that her fiery performance didn’t fetch her the Filmfare or a National Award but has the satisfaction of knowing it’s her most memorable film and bagged Sunny Deol both the awards for Best Supporting Actor.

Interestingly, the first choice to play the lawyer Govind was Om Puri. As assistant director to Govind Nihalani, Santoshi had dreamt of a climactic confrontation between Amrish Puri and Om Puri that didn’t materialise over monetary issues. Then, over dinner at a hotel, he told Sunny that he was making a film titled Damini and wanted him to play a character who only enters in the 12th reel but was confident he’d do a great job. Sunny smiled and accepted the challenge.

“Sunny was better known then as an action star and many, including my producers and his friends Aly and Karim Morani and Bunty Soorma, had apprehensions about casting him in a role that was all about dialogue baazi but I knew he’d pull it off and he did,” the maker smiles.

However, he is quick to point out that while Sunny had the author-backed role, it was Rishi Kapoor as Damini’s husband Shekhar Gupta, torn between his family and his love, who had the most difficult job. The self-confessed Kapoor fan recalls that when he heard the script, the actor told him that apart from him no one else would be able to do justice to the role. “He was right. Those who understand acting appreciated his performance while I will be eternally indebted to him,” asserts Santoshi.

A quarter of a century has passed, and he was never tempted to encash on Damini’s success. He made another woman-centric film but Lajja was not Damini 2. “I went through much emotional turmoil but I did full justice to it as the film came from the heart. Today, satellite TV has extended it’s shelf life. Damini continues to play with Sunny’s ‘tareek pe tareek’ dialogue resonating with the same fury,” he smiles.

Clockwise: A still from Kaabil; Mom; Prem Granth; Damini and Matrubhoomi

Deepali Singh (DNA; August 5, 2017)

Hindi filmmakers are often trashed for their depiction of women on screen, for making eveteasing acceptable, for not giving women meaty roles, not making female-centric films, degrading women by making them do item songs... The list goes on. It’s time to give them some credit. Something changed when no one was looking. Graphic rape scenes, a staple in Hindi films for over three decades, vanished from our films.

From then to now
There was a time when you saw an unknown actress playing the role of the hero’s sister, you could bet that she would get crudely raped at some point in the film. Such scenes were weaved in the script. For decades, Hindi films have shown scenes or sexual assault with little or no sensitivity. I remember a particularly disturbing rape scene filmed on Shilpa Shirodkar and Anupam Kher in Bhrashtachar on a round revolving bed, shot in slow motion. It was clearly designed to titillate. Unfortunately, many such scenes were filmed for that explicit intention. They were uncomfortably long and graphic, with attention to detail. But such rape scenes slowly (and thankfully) disappeared.

Recall the 1980-film Insaf Ka Tarazu where Raj Babbar rapes Zeenat Aman and later, commits the same crime with her younger sister, played by Padmini Kolhapure? The scenes left nothing to the imagination. A number of films made during the ’80s and ’90s in Bollywood depicted rape sequences in graphic detail. Thankfully, that is where the filmmakers of today’s generation are different, or at least, are trying to be. Cut to 2017. There were two releases with the rape-revenge theme. Kaabil — in which Hrithik Roshan sets out to seek revenge for his wife’s rape. And Mom in which Sridevi seeks to wreck hell on the men who ravaged her daughter. I was reluctant to watch both films because I knew it involved molestation scenes. But I needn’t have worried.

The rape scene
Two men pick up a girl in a red dress as she struggles. Another comes running and lifts her up and she is thrown into the car. A hard punch on the face leaves her stunned. An aerial shot shows the car moving along the deserted streets of Delhi, with only the stray dogs for company. The eerily haunting music that accompanies the shot is enough to give you the chills. After a while, the car stops. The two men in the front exchange seats with the two men at the back. The car is back on the road and so is the music. Nothing is shown, yet the audience knows exactly the nature of the crime taking place inside the moving vehicle. That is how the gang rape scene was shown in Sridevi’s Mom. There was no tearing of the victim’s clothes, flashes of bosom and thighs, or men leering over her. We have come a long way. I came away with respect for the director Ravi Udyawar. Ditto for Kaabil and Sanjay Gupta for filming the dual rape scenes in his film.

Being sensitive
There is no doubt that in recent times, filmmakers have become sensitive to how rape scenes are shot and presented. Even Udta Punjab proved that the filmmaker can get the point across without getting into graphic details to relate the horror of the crime across to the audience. For director Onir, no rape sequence has come across as powerfully as the one in Bandit Queen. “It takes a director of Shekhar Kapur’s intelligence and sensitivity to portray such a powerful scene in Bandit Queen. It really shatters you. In recent times, I think the scene that made an impact was in Udta Punjab, also because of the way Alia Bhatt portrayed it. It was heart-wrenching,” he says. Some of Onir’s films such as Bas Ek Pal and I Am have dealt with the issue of rape, specially male rape, but the filmmaker insists that he would never show it. “I would show as little as possible and go to the before and after of it, not the act itself,” he adds.

Thank the censor board!
Akshaye Rathi, film exhibitor, columnist and entrepreneur, believes that there are multiple reasons for the new found sensitivity. “One, is that you can only show that much. If you try and do more, then there is something called the CBFC, which will chop it off. And rightly so, because rape is a hideous crime and you don’t want to influence young minds by showing anything of that sort. One needs to subtly, yet effectively get the horror across,” he explains.

Along with the changing mindsets of both the filmmakers and the viewers, what has resulted in this outcome, believes Girish Johar, film and trade business analyst, is the social awareness surrounding the crime. “Filmmakers don’t want to highlight the act, but instead focus on the evils of the crime. Titillation is not the agenda anymore,” he says. Rathi makes another interesting point. Storytelling in general has undergone an evolution, so things are bound to change, “Even the mindset of the movie goers has changed. Evolution is the name of the game and that’s how it will be.”

Less skin, more horror
Rajkumar Santoshi’s Damini (1993) was appreciated for the manner in which the filmmaker shot the horrific sequence. As the four men muffled the maid’s mouth, the audience is drawn to the expressions on Meenakshi Sheshadri’s face as she watches the crime take place in front of her eyes. “When I shot Damini, the idea was to let the audience view the scene from Damini’s point of view. I wanted their expressions to be as horrified as Meenakshi’s, as they are trying to feel what she is feeling,” he says. The filmmaker believes that while aesthetics should definitely play its role, the magnitude of the crime also has to reach the viewers. “As a director, I feel there has to be a balance between them. Yes, the audience should appreciate the way it has been shot, but they should also be moved by it. They should feel anger at the act. That is the reason I shot Meenakshi’s close-ups of her horrified expressions or Rekha’s expressions when the crime is being committed in my film Lajja,” he adds.

Director Sanjay Gupta, whose Kaabil received rave reviews, seconds Santoshi’s stand. “I don’t think any of us is interested in showing rape to titillate the audience,” he says. In Gupta’s film, the heroine is raped twice but the actual act is left to audience’s imagination. “My film was not so much about the rape, but about its aftermath. It was not about how she is getting raped, it’s about what happens after that. I don’t think graphic details were needed. It is a horrific act by itself,” he adds.

It seems that as long as the message is getting across, filmmakers want to spare audiences the gory and gruesome details. And thank god for that!

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 14, 2016)

Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; March 15, 2016)

After Sunny Deol’s Ghayal Once Again, it’s natural to wonder if he will do remakes of his other hit films like Arjun and Damini.

While the actor was seen only in a cameo in the latter, it was one of the film’s highlights, with the unforgettable ‘dhai kilo ka haath’ line that refuses to leave him.

Does Sunny see the possibility of a Damini remake? Sunny says, “Definitely. I liked that Govind character. Recently, I met some lawyer fans who told me over mail about this case which kept getting thrown out again and again but they persisted. I went to meet a couple of them and they were talking about how they didn’t give up on the case and finally they did an RTI. I am just saying this because of the impact that films have on people; sach ke saath hai toh haar nahi manni chahiye. I did that for so many years, and now, I feel vindicated. So yes, I feel that Govind’s character can be relevant even today.”

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 9, 2016)

"Tareekh pe tareekh, tareekh pe tareekh, tareekh pe tareekh milti gayi My Lord, par insaaf nahin mila...." Sunny Deol's bitter rant against blindfolded justice still echoes in the courtroom of our memory 23 years after the release of Rajkumar Santoshi's social drama Damini. The performance bagged the actor the Filmfare Black Lady. After receiving the trophy from Saira Banu, Sunny admitted that when Santoshi narrated the story to him, he hadn't expected him to be interested in a supporting role. "But I fell in love with this down-on-his-luck lawyer who's become an alcoholic. There was a flashback with Raveena Tandon as my wife, but it wasn't shot as the film had already become too lengthy," he'd revealed in an interview in 1994.

Santoshi confirmed this saying that he had approached Om Puri to play Govind Shrivastav who is up against Amrish Puri's Barrister Indrajit Chaddha. Both actors were from theatre, had great baritones and were known for their dramatic performances. "I had worked with Govind Nihalani in Party and Ardh Satya and knew Omji well. He had been an important part of my directorial debut, Ghayal, and I wanted him in my second film as well. But there was an issue over remuneration, so I turned to Sunny with whom I had a good equation and who trusted me blindly. The producers weren't convinced because he was known as an action hero, but I knew he was capable of delivering a good performance," asserts the director.

The performance won Sunny a National Award too. He is unforgettable in the courtroom scenes, which he admitted, left both him and Santoshi drained at the end of a long day. It was a challenge for teetotaler Sunny to play an alcoholic. What's more, he also had to smoke, lighting up a cigarette while speaking to his opposite number, which was a real challenge initially.

"I had played a lawyer in a couple of films before, but that was in bits and pieces. Here my entire performance depended on my scenes in the courtroom. I had to get every little inflection right in my dialogue delivery, and yet, talk naturally, not give the impression that I was acting," he pointed out, admitting that Govind had not been modelled on any person but came from within him in a closed studio during the sweltering summer months.

Santoshi informs that the story was drawn from a real-life incident that took place in Kolkata. A maid was raped by the owner of the house, the lady saw it happen and went to court. In the film, Meenakshi Seshadri's character, Damini, sees her brother-in-law ravage the maid and despite the family trying to cover up the crime, decides to testify against him.

"I had been to courtrooms and seen the travesty of justice. But in real life, lawyers and judges don't raise their voices, they speak in almost inaudible whispers, with their clients reduced to simply being bystanders. But since I wasn't making a documentary, I decided to take a few cinematic liberties," smiles Santoshi who bagged the Filmfare Award for best director.

Damini is proved to be mentally unstable and confined to a institution for two weeks by a judicial order. She escapes and runs to the defeated, disillusioned lawyer, Govind, who could not even get justice for his own wife. She inspires him to re-open the case and take up the fight for the girl who has since died, her death passed off as suicide.

"It bothered me when truth was buried and common people, even after selling off their home, land and jewellery, were put off by constant adjournments. For me justice delayed is justice denied. It was from this thought that the tareek pe tareek rant came about," admits Santoshi.

Fortunately, his courtroom drama had a happier end in reel life with Govind able to prove through the love and constant support of Damini's husband, Shekhar Gupta, (played by Rishi Kapoor) that she was not lying. Almost a quarter of a century later, tareek pe tareek remains one of the most hard-hitting lines in Hindi cinema.

Sunny Deol will be returning to the theatres soon as Ajay Mehra in the Ghayal sequel which he has also produced and directed; the original was released 25 years ago
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 18, 2015)

The last time we met, he was getting ready to kickstart Ghayal Once Again. A little over a year later, Sunny Deol announces that he's 95 per cent through with his second directorial venture, which will release in the silver jubilee year of the original Ghayal.

He recalls that back in 1990, no one had believed in the film but he had liked the story and decided to produce it himself. He admits that little did he realise that it would become an iconic film. "There is no pressure of expectations as we are treating the sequel like just another film. I'll be sitting in on the edit soon to see if my vision has translated on screen well and what else needs to be done before it is a wrap," he says.

He'd wanted to make the sequel much earlier, thinking it would be interesting to revisit Ajay Mehra living somewhere in Mumbai, and see how he deals with today's society. "My vision was not in sync with that of other directors so I jumped into it myself. But producing and directing a movie takes time," he sighs.

That's why hasn't taken Damini forward. "It was a well-written role, I'd have to work on the script for a year or two. May be someday, I can bring Arjun back, even if he's 60 or 70 then," he muses.

Sunny is hardly seen on screen, much to the disappointment of his fans. He sighs, saying he has two films ready and unreleased. "I don't get into it with the producers, may be it's destiny," he rues.

He is gearing up to direct his son, Karan, next. The script is locked. It's not a sequel or a remake but completely original. "Both my sons, Karan and Rajvir, are training to become actors but they're not developing six-packs. In our films the focus was always on building characters and not on building bodies," he says.

He'll start another film under his banner with a debutant director in October which should wrap up by December-January. "We've been working on the script for a year, simultaneously developing it alongside Ghayal Once Again," he informs. "It will feature Bob (younger brother Bobby) who's been growing a beard for it, and no, he's not playing a sardar."

While he produces and directs, Sunny is open to acting offers because, as he points out, they don't need more than 50-70 days from him, and he doesn't have to sit in on the scripting or editing. "There are a couple of films I may accept. I am hungry for good scripts and characters I've never played before. I made some bad movies when I was trying to do what others were doing. The movies I'm remembered for are the ones that no one expected to see me in. I want to continue surprising myself and the audience," he insists.

His dadis seen more often on screen than him. He admits that while Dharmendra is more social, he's more conservative. "Dad loves to be out there, his fans love to see him, so why deprive them of the joy," he smiles, pointing out that he himself has been busy with Ghayal Once Again for the last two years.

It's been 16 years since he directed Dillagi. Like swimming and cycling, is directing also a skill you never forget? "You never forget anything you've done, but yes, this time I knew exactly what I wanted. And the years of acting experience came in handy when guiding the four teenagers debuting in the film. They are between 16 and 18 and it was fun interacting with them. I realised that apart from technology and attitude, nothing has changed in the 25 years since Ghayal," he smiles.

Obviously, he doesn't grouse about the generation gap. "What generation gap?" he quips. "We're not competing with them." At the same time, he's not one of those who believes a dad can be his son's dost. He points out that just like there are different departments in filmmaking, such as sound and editing, relationships are compartmentalised for a reason. Parents, friends, girlfriend, wife, kids, they all have their own place in our lives.

"A certain amount of wariness when dealing with your dad is important," he insists, who has always looked up to his own dad. "There are certain values the family has instilled in us and which we have passed on. I would hope we remain the way we were."

Does the 'dhai kilo ka haath' hit out as often in real life, you wonder, and he guffaws, "No, that's a side of me I play with on screen. I do lose my temper at times but I wouldn't physically hurt anyone. Acting teaches you to be patient, I'm in control now."

So, like some of his colleagues who have grabbed headlines with public patch-ups, will Sunny also mend bridges with old foes?

"Public, that's the key word," he says with a twinkle in his eyes. "I never had any enmity with anyone to attempt a 'public' patch-up.

May be any publicity is good today but I won't do it. I've always let my work speak for me. I believe if it's good, people will like it, if its not, they won't. So there's no point in focussing on false issues to get into the limelight, right?" Touche!