It’s been three decades since Sunny Deol was first seen on the silver screen in Betaab. The then 26-year-old Sunny made a confident debut under dad Dharmendra’s banner Vijeta Films. Now at 56, the actor is acting in his first ever sequel—Yamla Paagla Deewana 2— with his 77-year-old father and younger brother Bobby. “The best thing about YPD is that we have the opportunity to work with dad. On screen, our characters are like friends and jokingly abuse each other but off camera, we don’t even sit where Dad’s sitting, unless he specifically wants to talk to us,” he says with a smile.
The Deols famously live in a joint-family set-up in a sprawling Juhu bungalow. Sunny insists that it’s this proximity that helps them as actors. “We know each other’s working styles and moods. So a film set becomes an extension of home,” he says.
Sunny has worked with his legendary father on a number of films but the one abiding memory he has is from Sultanat, the first film the two acted in together. “We were shooting an action sequence, where dad and I are fighting each other. I hit his knee with my sword by mistake. I was so scared, I completely froze. He realised I was very paranoid so he pretended like he wasn’t hurt at all. The shoot continued and he never mentioned the incident.”
Sunny’s relationship with his father hasn’t changed much over the years. “I love my dad and 24/7 I keep wondering what I can do to make him happy. That’s the way I am. Dad wants us to be friends but I think it’s difficult to be friends with your parents because there are always going to be boundaries. And, a friend can never take your parents place. I think I talk to him a little more than I used to but I can’t be his friend.”
Words like respect, honour and tradition are very important to Sunny and in keeping with the Deol practice, Sunny will launch his son Karanvir in about a year and a half. “Like Bobby and me, Karan will also be launched by Vijeta Films. He assisted Sangeethji for YPD2. He even wrote the lyrics of the songs ‘I will dance only’ and also rapped on the track. He will soon start assisting Karan Johar. My second son also wants to be an actor, so we will have two more Deol actors in Bollywood.”
Talking about his own 30 year long career, Sunny says, “I can’t believe it’s been this long. The years seemed to have gone by in the blink of an eye. Betaab is obviously the closest film to my heart. I clearly remember the shoot. Since it was our home production it was almost like a picnic. Almost immediately after the film released, I left for Russia to shoot Soni Mahiwal. I was away for almost two months so I completely missed the hysteria that followed Betaab’s release. But that has been a pattern through-out my career. I have never been in the country to enjoy the success of my films.”
There is a feeling within Bollywood that the Deol’s haven’t received their due from the industry but Sunny doesn’t lose sleep over it. “We have got all the awards and love that we need from our audience. Being invited to accept some bogus award is nothing compared to the lakhs and lakhs of people who shower their love and blessings on our family. A film like Gadar never won any awards but so many people watched and what more could I want?”
Next up for Sunny is his pet project Ghayal Returns. “I wanted to make a sequel in the 90s but it never took off. People here didn’t understand the concept of a sequel. We had some intial hiccups but we are back on track. The film should go on the floor by Oct. The story will continue from where the first film ended. Ghayal Returns will completely change how an action is seen. It’s not just about brute strength but being a hero inside.”