Sunny Deol has been fine-tuning scripts during the lockdown, promises to surprise himself and his audience
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 29, 2020)

While many are losing their cool after being cooped up at home for close to 100 days, Sunny Deol has taken the lockdown in his stride. “Initially, one had thought it would be just for a few days, but ab toh aadat si ho gayi hai. As an actor, one travelled a lot and was away from home for three-four months at a stretch. So, getting to spend time with the family is a welcome change,” he asserts. The actor-filmmaker admits that given a choice, he’d rather be at the family farm in Khandala with father Dharmendra, where one is in the midst of nature and can move around at will.

“In the city, you’re confined to your home. There are times when I wish I was a nobody, so I could get around more. But I’ve reconnected with some old buddies through a chat group and happily spend a couple of hours on it,” he shares, revelling in a newfound sense of contentment and an awareness of all those things that kept one busy without reason and made one spend unnecessarily to keep up with the Joneses. “That’s the beautiful part of this lockdown and it’s imperative that we don’t forget these lessons once the Coronavirus pandemic is behind us.”

Prod him on his favourite corner in the house and Sunny reveals with a chuckle that with brother Bobby, his sons and nephews at home, the gym is the most used room. “It’s always houseful at the home gym these days. This unexpected break has not only given us time for introspection but also to work out and get physically fit and strong,” he points out, impressing on the need to build one’s immunity.

Professionally, Sunny has been working on a couple of scripts and is hoping to crack them in the next few weeks and roll soon. “This virus is not going away anytime soon. So, till a vaccine arrives, we have to learn to live with it. Despite the deep-rooted fear, we have to get our lives back on track,” he says, sounding like the one-man army we have seen on screen so many times setting the world right. He’s quick to add that we also have to be hygienic, sensible and learn to work with fewer people on the sets. “All the departments will have to rethink how to work with an effective rather than an excessive crew. If we are being cautious, it’s because we can’t afford for shooting to grind to a halt again and waste more money.”

Sunny’s last projects were son Karan’s launch vehicle, Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, a home production with him as the director, and Blank as an actor; both opened last year. Now, he wants to focus only on acting. “I won’t be producing or directing films for a little while; I just want to act, act and act,” he asserts, adding that he will be working with outside set-ups, good directors and scripts that challenge him as an actor. “I want to surprise myself and my audience, evolve as an actor, wear characters I can give life to, and infuse with the colour of my personality,” he says fervently.

If he could turn the clock back, is there something he’d do differently, you wonder. There’s a reflective pause before he confesses that whatever he has done so far was dictated not by what he wanted but where life took him. “Eventually, it’s destiny that determines the course of your journey, so I’d probably do the same things again. Your part in this process is to keep working hard and honestly,” he says simply.

Sunny’s repertoire boasts of films like Sohni Mahiwal, Arjun, Dacait, Ghayal, Damini, Ghatak, Border and Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, that any actor would be proud of and makers would want to remake. “I’ve been lucky,” he says modestly. “These films were difficult to back, but I jumped in without any idea of how they’d turn out, because I liked the story and the character. They make me feel good today. Over the next year and two, I will give much more as an actor to my fans, particularly the next generation,” he promises.

And what about Karan? Sunny informs that his son, too, has two films that he has been working on and there will be announcements as soon as lockdown rules are relaxed. “But I’m not making any of them,” he adds.

There was talk of him launching his second son, Rajveer, too. Sunny reasons that, with a new actor, a script takes time to flesh out. “It’s the real hero and only after it’s locked, can one get down to the casting,” he says, admitting that after Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, he has come to realise that the scenario today is very different from when he debuted in Betaab, and that being from a film family can be a drawback rather than an asset. “People perceive success differently now. I wanted to be an actor and unfortunately, my boys want the same. And I’m proud that it’s not for the stardom but because they enjoy the art. Their talent, hard work and destiny will take them ahead.”

Meanwhile, Sunny, a newly elected MP from Gurdaspur, has been quietly helping migrants from across the world and the country reach home safely, arranging food and supplies for the needy in the wake of the Coronavirus crisis. But bring up the subject and he says awkwardly, “I don’t like to talk about this. I’m doing what I can. I haven’t been able to travel, but now that flights are becoming safer, I plan to go there soon. Since it’s a rural belt, the welfare of the farmers is my primary concern. I’m also looking out for youngsters, particularly students. I got into politics to make the lives of those who elected me better. I’m happy doing this and they are happy with what I have done and what I can do. There are a lot of dreams, not for myself, but for them. I hope to realise them,” he signs off.

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.

While Sunny is in the thick of completing his elder son’s debut film, he talks to BT about his plans to launch his second son
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; December 15, 2018)

It has been 18 months since Sunny Deol announced his son Karan Deol’s acting debut, Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas. The young lad had worked as an assistant director on Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 before taking the plunge as an actor. Now, Bombay Times has it that Sunny’s younger son Rajveer is also gearing up to become an actor, and is following his elder bro’s path into the movies. The only difference is that instead of assisting another director, he’s working with his dad on his brother, Karan’s debut film.

Talking about this, Sunny told us, “I will direct Rajveer’s debut film also. We will start planning his launch vehicle after Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas releases. The thing is, in the past, directors knew how to handle actors and people better, which is not quite the case today. In this case, he is my son and I know him really well. He’s currently assisting me, so by the time we are ready to start his film, he will know how to work with me as an actor, too.”

As a father, isn’t it a daunting task to direct one’s own son, given that there is an anxiety of a different kind? Sunny says, “I don’t think like that. As a matter of fact, when I was shooting for Betaab, my father had instructed the director that I should not do any action scenes on my own. While the body double failed to get on top of a horse, it was easy for me because I was a sportsperson. I could run and do it all by myself. So today, when I am directing my son, I can’t treat it like a pahad on my head. I don’t want that to burden my thoughts. I am not too conscious of the fact that Karan is my son. I love working on my instincts, which I might lose if I get very conscious. I start second-guessing my decisions, which is a bad idea.”

Sunny put his son through several difficult action sequences while shooting. He didn’t let the young actor use a body double and sometimes, filmed with him for 18 hours a day. “After Karan would shoot those scenes, I would curse myself. The father in me would act up for being ruthless with him, while the filmmaker in me would pacify that feeling. I would tell myself to not let my fears stop me from following my instincts. I decided that if something doesn’t work, Karan will back out on his own. It was always a dilemma for both of us, we didn’t want to feel the pressure and it was still a lot of pressure.”

Karan’s debut was announced in mid-2017, given that a year-and-a-half has already gone by, this project seems fairly delayed. To that, Sunny responds,“We never set out to make this film with a release date in mind. That puts undue pressure. Je main date te nahi aaya, toh negativity ho jaandi hai. We have no friends here and negativity spreads very quickly if you miss a promised date. I am spending my time and money to ensure we make the film well. After papa, Bobby and I see the film and when we think that it is good to go, we will set a release date. Karan’s work will be out there for everyone to see.” 

Seema Sinha (BOMBAY TIMES; November 18, 2014)