Sunny Deol: Bobby and I are still scared of dad

Sunny Deol will re-unite with father Dharmendra and brother Bobby in their upcoming film Yamla Pagla Deewana, coming up for release on January 14.

When Sonil Dedhia met up with Sunny, the actor spoke at length, revealing quite a few secrets of the Deol household, even admitting that the brothers were still afraid of their dad Dharmendra.

Sunny tells us more:

Why don't we see you more often in films?

Lots of reasons. My health was not supporting me (earlier). Also, I was not getting good scripts. The whole multinational culture coming into movies didn't go down well with me. I belong to the old school, so it was difficult for me to adjust.

After all these years, you continue to be media shy.

I have always been a shy person. A lot of actors talk about themselves but I have always refrained from doing that. I let my work speak for me. I have faith in my fans. For me, they are the real judges. I cannot go on convincing everyone about my acting.

You have spent almost two decades in this industry. What changes do you see in the kind of movies made today?

The whole multinational culture has created a lot of changes in cinema. Indian cinema needed a lot of money to compete with Hollywood, and that was pumped in by these companies. But they made watching movies very expensive.

In India, films are made for the masses. But the whole scenario has changed now. We had a tough time making Yamla Pagla Deewana because everyone felt that the budget was too high. 

Today, it's about how good you are at marketing. Publicity is very important. But in the recent past, I have had experiences where the film was promoted well but yet, it didn't do good business. Earlier, if the news appeared in one or two newspapers, it sufficed. Today, you need to shout about your film. I have learnt my lesson. For Yamla Pagla Deewana, I am going to shout the loudest I can! (laughs)

Tell us about Yamla Pagla Deewana.

Nowadays, all the filmmakers claim their film is different. Our film is genuinely different. It's an out-and-out entertainer.

People appreciated the three Deols in Apne, and the same chemistry continues in this movie. The film is a complete masala movie with comedy, romance and action.

Dad (Dharmendra) was not initially a part of the film. But when he insisted, we changed the script and developed his character.

What is your role all about?

I play an NRI from Vancover. His name is Paramveer, and he works in a bank as a recovery officer.

He lands up in Banaras, claiming to be Bobby's elder brother, separated at childhood. Dad and Bobby play the biggest con men in Banaras, who are always drinking and pulling off hilarious cons on unsuspecting people. They accept me, as they want someone strong in their team, and exploit his muscle power for their con games. What follows is a rollercoaster ride showcasing the Great Indian Joint Family.

You play a Sardar once again in this film.

Well, it is a good feeling and I enjoyed it.

I am a Jat, so it came naturally. I didn't have to put much of an effort on the body language.

Fortunately, all my films where I have played a Sardar have done well. I hope it proves lucky this time too.

Any memorable experiences while shooting the film?

I can't point to a single incident. My whole family was involved in this film, so the shooting (in Punjab) was like a family outing.

We live in the same house as a joint family but we're so busy with our work that we are rarely all together.

How was it working with your father?

One of the main reasons we made this film was because dad completes 50 years in Bollywood. So this was like a gift to him. 

Bobby and I would never -- even in our wildest dreams -- behave with him like we have done in the movie. In real life, both of us are scared of him.

Which Dharmendra film is your favourite?

Satyakam and Phool Aur Patthar.

Coming to you, do you think you have got your due in the industry?

I don't believe in it; I don't get into all this. I have done a lot of films and people have appreciated me. They have loved my films. Success and failure are a part of life. If I fail, I try harder the next time. Awards don't matter me. The industry and my fans respect me, and that is the most important thing.

There are a lot of camps in the industry. Are you a part of one as well, which include directors Guddu Dhanoa and Anil Sharma?

I have never been or never want to be a part of one.

I was very happy to work with Anil Sharma and Guddu Dhanoa; it's very important for me to be comfortable with someone if I'm working with that person. Otherwise, I wouldn't do it. It's not that I don't work with new directors but I have had bad experiences where directors have said bad things about me.

Is it true that you are planning to copyright your voice?

Yes, I am planning to. I have nothing against anyone but some people get carried away and imitate my voice for wrong promotions. People should know thier limits.

Earlier, films would complete silver jubilees. Today, a film is declared a hit or flop within the first three days of release.

So don't you think you need to produce films with the right scripts?

I don't know how to handle money (laughs). I have produced films, some of which have done well and some have not. I plan to get into joint ventures with others. They'll handle the financial side while I handle the creativity.

Any plans of directing another film?

I would love to. I am working on a couple of scripts. I want to be involved in all creative aspects of a film. But as I mentioned earlier, my back was in a very bad shape. The recovery is slow. Currently, I am going to promote my film as much as I can.

Your son plans to become an actor.

Yes, he is very keen. But it's a long way to go. I think it will take at least two more years before he gets into films.