The RISE, the FALL, and COMEBACK of Bobby Deol

Joginder Tuteja looks at Bobby Deol's career over the years.

Bobby Deol was launched 25 years ago in Rajkumar Santoshi's romance, Barsaat.

The film, which also launched Twinkle Khanna, released on October 6, 1995, and sent its stars on a roller coaster ride through their careers.

While Bollywood's glitz and glamour never really attracted Twinkle, Bobby has been on a comeback spree, tasting success once again with his Web series, Aashram.

Joginder Tuteja looks at Bobby's career over the years.

A rollicking beginning: 1995 to 2002

When Barsaat released, it was a superhiT.

Bobby, in fact, had a very good innings at the box office, especially in the action-thriller genre.

Bobby starred in quite a few stylish films, which did well, like Gupt, Soldier, Bichhoo, Ajnabee and Humraaz.

He also tried his hand at masala films like Badal, which also did well.

It seemed that Dharmendra's young son and Sunny Deol's little brother had become a star.

But Bobby also delivered flops like Kareeb, Dillagi (his home production), Hum To Mohabbat Karega, Aashiq and Kranti.

Yet, the ratio of successes was higher than that of flops, and that kept the going good for the actor.

An agonising fall: 2002 to 2013

Things started going south for Bobby just like that in years to follow. The rough patch lasted for more than a decade.

Almost 20 movies flopped in quick succession.

Whether they were comedies like Chore Machaye Shor, Thank You, Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 or romances like Vaada Raha... I Promise, Humko Tumse Pyaar Hai or horror movies like Help or musicals like Shaka Laka Boom Boom, Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom or dramas like Kismat, Nanhe Jaisalmer, Heroes or thrillers like Players, Naqaab, nothing worked.

Even his action films like Bardaasht, Jurm, Tango Charlie, Chamku and Ek failed badly.

The only hits he had were Yamla Pagla Deewana and Apne, both being all-Deol affairs.

A couple of films like Barsaat and Dosti managed to find some takers.

A spirited comeback: 2017 - 2020

After his rough patch, Bobby took a break of four years.

He admitted that this was a traumatic time personally and professionally.

During this break, he decided to gather himself and regroup.

He returned with Poster Boys where he had Sunny Deol and Shreyas Talpade for company.m It was a good comedy, but still failed.

Yamla Pagla Deewana Deewana Once Again turned out to be a major disaster too.

But Race 3 with Salman Khan brought him back into the limelight.

His real comeback turned out to be Housefull 4, which released last Diwali.

It turned out to be a Rs 200 crore club blockbuster.

The OTT platform also brought him love.

In Class of '83, he played a middle-aged cop.

It was followed by the Web series, Aashram, where he plays a Baba.

Bobby has been doing well in his new innings and one waits to see him back on the big screen next with his new set of films in 2021.