Well if his Dad was known for kutte kameene...Ma ka dudh piya hai to... kinda dialogues, the son is still associated with Ye Dhai Kilo Ka Haath Jab Padta Hai Na...To Aadmi Uthta Nahin Hai...Uth Jaata Hai...Meet Sunny Deol, the media shy star who continues to be a bankable actor at the ticket window after twenty five years in the movie business. And that too in the lead role. First up, his thoughts on the famous dialogue from Damini where he had a power packed supporting role. "Those films were written well. Dialogues were good. They went with the character and that's why they are remembered again and again. People give me references of it. But it's been a long time that we haven't had that kind of writing," Sunny said in an exclusive interview with us on the terrace of Sunny Super Sound Studio overlooking the calm evening sea.

There's a lot of buzz surrounding the Deols these days. In Anil Sharma's Apne, Dharmendra, Sunny and Bobby shall share screen space for the first time. While Sunny had a release in Ahmed Khan's Fool N Final last week, kid bro Bobby is looking forward to a turnaround in his career with films like Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom, Naqaab and more around the corner. Of course Dhamendra's kiss-on-the-sly with Nafisa Ali in Life in a... Metro has been a talking point.

The Music Launch of Apne was one of the biggest events in the film industry in the recent times with thespian Dilip Kumar, eternal style icon Dev Anand gracing the occasion along with Salman Khan, Govinda, the three Deols, Shilpa Shetty, Katrina Kaif etc. "Dad came in the industry always dreaming about Dilip (Kumar) Sahab. He was his icon. Dilip Sahab was the person Dad adored. Dev (Anand) Sahab was another gentleman with whom he interacted when he first came to Bombay. So, we thought that it's (Apne) his film and it would give him great honour if they would be there. And that's why they came. And Papa and Dev Sahab have interacted so much over the years. They have a bond and love for each other that I doubt actors can only dream of," Sunny said.

You said in an interview recently that your dad's fans have passed on to you and Bobby. And Dharamji had replied to your statement by saying that you were being generous when you said that. "When we talk about star sons, we do get an easy launch. But there's a lot of responsibility. It also depends on how good you are. So, obviously the fans which were there for my dad have rubbed on to us because they thought we are worthy of it." The Deol family has always had a huge fan base in Punjab. "It is not just Punjab. The kind of love and affection I get all over the country is the same. Punjab is our hometown, that's why the respect and love is unbelievable." Has Apne been shot in Punjab? "Apne is based in Punjab. It travels to America. Some portions have also been shot in Bangkok but it's not shown as Bangkok."

Talking about Apne... can you share its story idea? "It's difficult to talk about the story. You can't describe the whole film in a few words. All I can say is that it's a bonding film. It's a family film, family values. It has got a lot of entertaining elements and there are some nice choreographed boxing sequences in the film." Why did it take so long for the three Deols to come together? "We've been wanting this thing to happen for years and years. But unfortunately we couldn't get the right script. We didn't want to do a thing where three stars are there, sell it and don't worry about the content of the film. We were not getting the right script. We had nearly given up till Sharmaji came up and narrated us the idea. From there were took it up and within a year we finished the film and now we are talking about it." And why the title Apne? "That's what suits the subject. No other reason," Sunny says.

Sunny Deol on his films, family

You've delivered one of the biggest hits of Hindi cinema Gadar with Anil Sharma. How do you look back at that landmark film in your career? "When I had heard the script I had loved it and we went ahead and shot it. We had no inclination what's gonna happen. We knew it will be a successful film but we never knew that it will be such a successful film. Anything that is successful happens because of the team. When everyone does his bit right then you do hit the bull's eye." Music of Gadar was super hit. Music of Apne also seems to be melodious unlike Himesh Reshammiya's brand of dhinchak music. "Title song is my favourite. It reminds me of Sandese Aate Hain... there is emotion... the wordings, the melody... it hits the core in your heart basically..."

At an Aids awareness function in Delhi a few days ago Shilpa Shetty made headlines worldwide when she was kissed by Richard Gere. Sunny was present at that function. Incidentally Shilpa is paired opposite Sunny in Apne. "Shilpa is making news. That's good because it's very important to be in news these days. Besides that she is a good person. We have worked in a couple of films. She is a nice actress as well," Sunny said. And does he recall being paired with Bobby for the first time in Dillagi? "Dillagi was a film I directed with Bobby. I think Bobby had done a great role in that film. Obviously he is my younger brother and at times I do treat him like my son. But Apne is different emotion, different relation. Dad is there, bonding of father son is there. It is do with real life characters. It's not goody goody film. It has son fighting with his father, brother can have a fight with brother. These things happen in real life."

Alright... let's talk about Ahmed Khan's Fool N Final for a change now. "We had great fun making the film. Feroze make films with lots of characters... and I am one of them. I'm sure people will like it." Mr Feroze Nadiadwala said that you performed unbelievable stunts in the film. "We do so many stunts but it doesn't make a difference to me as we keep on doing them so many times. I'm a little daring guy. This is how I am since childhood. I wouldn't advice others to do it. Basically it is coordination and confidence. Obviously everything is dangerous but that's life." Shahid in an interview to us addressed you as Sunny Sir. "That's because he is younger to me. And that's the respect one should give to your seniors. It's very sweet of him," Sunny said with a smile.

The evening was settling down into a quite relaxing dusk while the sea seemed within a touching distance. It was pleasant to watch a normally reticent Sunny Deol looking fresh and relaxed answering all our questions sportingly. And as he whizzed past in his stylish Mercedes (driving himself), the look of wonder on the faces of a few labourers standing by was hard to miss. Obviously the common man thinks highly of him. And in this multiplex era, it's these common folks who can still make a star a rock star. So, will Apne do the trick for Sunny Deol? Come June 29th... and you shall get to know.

This weekend will see the father-son jodi of Dharmendra and Sunny Deol makes an appearance for the first time on small screen on 10 Ka Dum. They are the special guest for the evening with Salman Khan as a host. It was a fun filled episode to watch all three. As per our source, “Dharmji is very fond of Salman and he also stated that, in Sallu he the younger version of himself. He does everything openly just like I did in my younger days. Whether it is drinking or romancing”

Salman and Sunny Deol, who has worked together in Jeet, recalled how their younger siblings make midnight calls to them after downing a few pegs. “Salman recalled how Sohail once called him in the wee hours of the morning. A panic-stricken Salman’s first thoughts were whether all was well with his parents and family. But was stunned to hear a sizzled Sohail mumble: “Bhai, I love you”

Sunny had an identical incident to talk about when Bobby called him. “At 3.00 in the morning he was crying. Sunny recalls wondering if he was in any kind of trouble called up other members of the family to trace Bobby’s whereabouts only to discover that Bobby had called to say how much he loves him,” concludes the source

Sunny Deol's name figures first in this list for the Deadly Deol has effectively portrayed the role of a sardar in not one or two but three popular films namely Border, Gadar-Ek Prem Katha and Jo Bole So Nihaal. While his role as the bumbling cop Nihaal Singh in Jo Bole So Nihaal didn't find many takers and also created some unwanted controversy, his acts as the stern Major Kuldeep Singh in Border and as the immensely patriotic Sardar Tara Singh in Gadar- Ek Prem Katha received a thunderous applause from one and all.

Making a suspense thriller is tough. To keep the audience attentive, besides keeping the viewer guessing till the end, requires complete understanding of the craft. Deepak Tijori had attempted a suspense thriller earlier [most storytellers have a penchant for this genre] and Fox, a complex theme, is more of a challenge for him. So, does Tijori get it right? Initially, yes. But Tijori loses it all towards the post-interval portions. The culmination is the thorn in the flesh.

Strangely, most film-makers in Bollywood just don't give a proper conclusion to suspense thrillers. The wrap up is just not compelling, with most films running out of steam in the final leg. Fox falls in this category. Verdict? This fox lacks the bite!

Arjun [Arjun Rampal] is a successful criminal lawyer whose knowledge and aggressive interpretation of the law makes him a name to reckon with. He is reputed to have never lost a case and can get anyone acquitted, no matter what the crime. No wonder then, criminals swear by his name.

After years of saving criminals from punishment, one day, torn with guilt, he decides to quit his law practice and change for good. However, someone seems to be unwilling to let him go so easily. Now, Arjun is in a race to save himself and must use the help of his girlfriend Urvashi [Sagarika Ghatge] and a police officer Yash [Sunny Deol] before it's too late.

Fox starts off very well. The suspense builds up beautifully… in fact, everything's going fine till it's time to lift the veil of secrecy. A number of sequences are truly well canned and the characters and situations only evoke mystery. In fact, Fox has an intriguing start and an absorbing middle.

But, as mentioned at the outset, the conclusion lacks fizz. The film ends on a tepid note, with things suddenly turning 'filmy'. The villain's motive seems so bizarre and predictable that it puts you off instantly. In fact, whatever impression you may've generated evaporates into thin air.

Nigam Bomzan's camerawork is striking at places. But why is the camera shaking so much? Hand-held camera movement even during courtroom sequences is disturbing to the eye. Monty Sharma's music is sloppy, although the background score is alright.

Sunny Deol is restrained this time. Arjun Rampal looks perfect for his part. But why is he sporting a hideous wig at the start? Udita Goswami is wasted. Where does she disappear midway? Sagarika Ghatge is convincing. Vipul Gupta is a confident entrant. Ravi Gossain is okay. On the whole, Fox fails to hook your attention. At the box-office, despite the presence of star-names, the fizz would be missing.

She may love it or detest it, but the fact remains that she would always have a 'Chak De girl' tag attached to her. She may do much better work in her upcoming films as well, but her name would always rhyme with Preeti Sabharwal. We catche up with the young woman who has returned to the silver screen with Fox, two years after Chak De India.

Sagarika, finally we get to see you again in Fox! So where were you during last couple of years?
(Laughs) Oh yes, it was a long break indeed. Not that I wanted it this way, but then it was perhaps destined. I am very excited about Fox though. I hope that people who loved my work in Chak De India would go, check out Fox and then like me in this film as well (smiles). As an actor, it is always a challenge to do your second film since audiences didn't have any perceptions about you in your first film. Once they appreciate you there, pressure only builds up to perform better in your subsequent outings.

What made you sign a thriller after Chak De India?
Because I can't keep playing a sportsperson all my life, can I (smiles)? At the end of the day, I am an actor who was doing her job in Chak De India and have done so again in Fox as well. Also, the fact is that I didn't start Fox right after the release of Chak De India. Something else also had come by but it didn't work out.

The gap must have been frustrating....
Yes, there was a gap for sure but then the atmosphere during the last couple of years eased me in out and also prepared me in a way. I learnt a lot of things about this profession as well as life in general. I was inexperienced when I started off and even today, I am treating myself as a newcomer only. See, when Chak De... came to me, I was facing the camera for the first time. In fact, I had not even auditioned for the role and I was very-very raw. Since the role was more to do with how I did as a sportsperson, there was no make up or glamour quotient involved. Chak De... experience did help to a great degree though in grooming me. Just being on the sets was educative enough and an entirely new experience. Even after the film was released, there were so many shoots etc. that I attended which made time fly by.

It must be quite some moment for you to be back in business with Fox, right?
Of course. However, one has to be cautious before going gaga over your film because today, you don't know what's going to do well and what's not. Before you finalize a project, it's not about the best one to come your way. It's all about instinct. As long as you follow your instinct at that point in time and don't regret it later, you would always be satisfied. A film may or may not do well but you have to ensure that you are good enough for people to appreciate your performance. At the end of the day, they may have liked you in your first film but they would come and watch your third film only if you are good in second too.

So how did you ensure that you are indeed good in your second film?
(Laughs) Well, that's for audiences to come back and tell me how good or bad I was in Fox. I am happy with the fact that I didn't allow myself to play the role of a regular heroine in my short stint so far. Not that I am consciously avoiding that but I want to be more than just a good looking face on the sets. Even in Fox, where I play a lawyer, I am more than just an arm candy for Arjun. I am with him throughout at each and every move that he makes. Moreover, I work with him during each of his endeavours, as you would see in the film, rather than just sticking around like a regular girl.

Since Arjun has been in the industry for 7-8 years already, he must have been a great help?
See, all my co-stars have been very nice and professional. Yes, 90% of my scenes are with Arjun and our characterization is such that our love is mature rather than incorporating a typical girl-meets-boy relationship. This helped in raising the bar for our performances. For that matter, I have quite a few scenes with Sunny Deol also around and it was great to have a senior actor like him around. I don't have too many scenes with Udita, but we were nice and cordial with each other on sets. Sorry, no fireworks there (smiles)!

How did the entire Chak De... experience help you during the shoot of Fox?
Yes, there was little bit help from Chak De... though frankly, these two are entirely different films. Chak De.... was such a sports centric film and working in it was like being in a middle of a sports camp. It all really got into my psyche. Also, today when I see the film , I feel that I could have been much better in so many scenes. However, once I reached the sets of Fox, I had to consciously leave Chak De... behind since at the end of the day you are an actor and you have to get into the groove of different setups every now and then.

So what was it about Fox that made you give it a green signal ?
Honestly, after Chak De...., I could have done lots of films. However, it was a conscious decision to go slow and I am glad that I stuck to it. I wanted the whole setup of my next film to be strong. It wasn't just about whom I was paired opposite with, though I have to mention that the entire experience of working with Arjun was great. Today, I am pretty content with what I have managed to do in Fox.

Which includes looking glam?
(Laughs) After Chak De…, anything else is glam! In Fox though, being glamorous is in a different way altogether because frankly, my role isn't the kind where I go full-on glam. The whole film is a thriller and there is a definite storyline that runs throughout the proceedings. Yes, it's a very strong role that I get to enact and my character is definitely not someone who is just hanging by a hero.

Sunny Deol has nixed Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra's wedding plans this year. Says a source close to Shilpa, "Shilpa was planning to have a grand wedding this Christmas, but when her The Man co-star and producer learnt about her plans, he summoned her to his office and convinced her to change the date to next year."

Apparently, he used the emotional angle, saying if she married this year it would affect his film's chances.

The actress let Sunny talk her into moving her marriage to a date after the release of the film, so as to avoid any financial losses. She is dejected as she'd made most of the plans, and had even booked the venue in London and planned to fly down her film industry friends from Mumbai."

Here comes the crunch. Shilpa had allotted the dates for The Man in London last week but the schedule got cancelled again. She has lost out on a big banner film and appearances too because of the schedules getting cancelled time and again." She now feels the film might not get completed and release this year.

Shilpa Shetty and Sunny Deol remained unavailable for comment.

It's goodbye to Sanjay Dutt for now, hello Sunny Deol in Rajkumar Santoshi's life.

Santoshi has put the expensive historical on the Partition, Jis Lahore Nahin Dekhia Woh Jamia Hi Nahin with Sanjay Dutt in the lead, on indefinite hold. Instead Santoshi is going right ahead with his film with Sunny Deol. Deol and Santoshi have been locked in earnest discussion over the past few weeks. They want to make sure the film is a perfect comeback vehicle for the exiled star.

Says Santoshi, "I'd love to work with Sanjay Dutt. But the historical requires a whole lot more research and a huge budget which we can't afford at this time. I'm currently making a film with Sunny Deol written by me and Sridhar Raghavan to be produced by me. In fact, Sunny just left my office," Santoshi said recently.

The estranged hit jodi of Sunny Deol and Rajkumar Santoshi is coming together again after 13 years. They last worked together in Ghatak.

Confirming this development at a time when Sunny's career has hit the lowest ebb, Santoshi says, "Yes, Sunny and I are working together after so many years. He still packs in the same punch."

Ask Santoshi about the rough patch that Sunny's career is going through, and the director jumps to his old favourite's defence. "It's unfortunate that some of Sunny's recent films haven't worked. That doesn't mean Sunny didn't work. He's still our best action hero. And we'll prove it. We gave a new definition to action cinema in Ghayal. Again we hope to do the kind of action that audiences haven't seen before. Sunny doesn't need to flash six packs to be an action hero. One look from him is enough to defeat an army of enemies."

If mutual friends are to be believed, there's considerable tension between Sunny Deol and producer Subhash Ghai over the completion and release of Right Yaaa Wrong. Apparently, Sunny Deol and Ghai are constantly at loggerheads over the long-delayed project.

Says a source close to the project, "The release of the Subhash Ghai-Sunny Deol project keeps getting postponed repeatedly. This is affecting Sunny's own production The Man. Both have a common factor. Neeraj Pathak, who directs Right Yaaa Wrong also co-directs The Man. The fate of one affects the other."

Ghai acts injured when told about the rumours regarding the delay, "Naturally, I'm the producer of the film. So I'll be blamed for the delay. I'm used to it. Every film of mine that gets delayed, I take full blame for it."

Ghai says the real reason for the delay of Right Yaaa Wrong is the additional shooting involved. "We decided to add two songs, since we all felt there wasn't enough music in the film. Once the shooting is complete, it's very hard to co-ordinate everyone's dates. Irrfan Khan and Konkona Sen-Sharma are busy artistes. But it's finally happening. We will complete the additional shooting soon. We are releasing the film on January 6."

That should come as a relief to Sunny and also to Shilpa Shetty who's the leading lady in Sunny Deol's The Man. The fate of The Man depends entirely on how and when Right Yaaa Wrong is released.

Says a source, "Sunny is going through considerable financial hardships. It's not easy for him to complete his pending projects right now. The funds have dried up. But once Subhash Ghai releases Right Yaaa Wrong, Sunny will move ahead with his other project."

Salman Khan is in the news again neither for his splendid performance in Wanted nor for the debacle of his latest release Main Aurr Mrs Khanna. He is in the news for his upcoming release London Dreams. However, his fans were beaten up the police.

The incident took place at Nehru Stadium in Indore, where Salman was scheduled to play a cricket match as part of promotion for his film London Dreams where he acts with Ajay Devgn and Asin Thottumkal. However, the actor turned up five hours late for the event. He left the venue after a few minutes without playing the match.

This enraged his fans, who have came from various parts of the city to watch him scatter the ball all over the stadium. They turned violent and begun to throw chairs all around. The police resorted to lathi-charge, the situation turned worse.

The police said that the crowd went berserk, as Salman who was supposed to reach the stadium at 10. am turned up at 3 pm. Adding more fuel to the fire, he left the venue after a few minutes.

Looks like Salman is doing more harm than good to London Dreams by disappointing his fans.

"'Right Yaa Wrong' is a good film and it is releasing all over the world including theatres in Pakistan. I hope people will like it and I feel it should pick up with the audience all over soon," Sunny told over phone from Mumbai.

In Pakistan, the movie has released in Capri Cinema and Cine Plex in Karachi, New Majestic Cinema in Hyderabad, Prince Cinema, D.H.A and Cine Star in Lahore, Taj Mahal in Faisalabad, Dreamland Cinema in Multan, Cine Plex in Rawalpindi and Kashmir Mahal in Gujranwala.

Written and directed by debutant Neeraj Pathak, the crime thriller is produced by Subhash Ghai. It also features Irrfan Khan, Eesha Koppikhar and Konkona Sen Sharma.

"Right Yaa Wrong" revolves around two cops - Ajay Shridhar (Sunny) and Vinay Patnaik (Irrfan) and their intense rivalry.

The soft-spoken actor, known for movies like 'Ghayal', 'Ziddi', Damini' and 'Gadar', is happy with the critics' response to his role in 'Right Yaaa Wrong', which released recently. The actor says it has encouraged him to try out different things.

"I don't always have to be someone banging people all the time onscreen. People are going to see a different me which has been so much a part of me but was not explored earlier," Sunny said in an interview.

The star, son of Bollywood veteran Dharmendra, feels that he got trapped in the whole 'action star' image as the producers were unwilling to cast him in different roles. He, however, is confident that it is going to change with the kind of films he is doing.

"I had an image and producers were not willing to try different things. I feel 'Right Yaaa Wrong' has helped me a lot to break from that image. It is right time to do the kind of the cinema that I believe in without worrying much about my image," says Sunny.

His last films 'Fox', 'Kaafila' and 'Teesri Aankh' did not do well at the box office. In 'Heroes' and 'Fool N Final' he did not have much to do while 'Apne', his last success, had released three years back.

Sunny, who is also a producer, took a break from the movie business because of his poor health.

"For a long time I was not keeping well because of my back and then you have to keep financial aspects in mind.

There were not very great projects. The time was not right," he says.

Sunny, 53, is looking forward to his next film 'Yamala, Pagla Deewana', which will see the Deol family reunite onscreen once again.

"It is a great subject and we have been working on it for quite sometime. We have got a great title for it, which is very apt. It is taken from my father's film 'Pratigya'. You are going to see the song in this film too," he says.

Unlike 'Apne', which was high on emotion, this film is, as Sunny sums it up, 'a roller-coster ride of fun'.

"It is an out and out laughter not like 'Apne', which was emotional and talked about family values. When we decided to team up together we were very sure that it should not resemble our last film," he says.

The actor wants to release the film by Christmas or Diwali. The shooting of the film will finish by May-June.

Sunny, who had tried his hands in direction with 1999 film 'Dillagi', will once again be getting behind the camera for big-budget film 'The Man' but the actor is not willing to divulge much on the project.

"When I started the project everything was looking big but suddenly things went bad. It troubled me a lot. I am trying to work around this time because it is a big budget film and getting the finances and getting things done the right way is very important. Stakes have been pretty high," he says about the recession.

The actor is known to be shy in real life but with promotions becoming important, Sunny feels he can't keep away.

"My nature has been like that. And I have had success without me going out of my way. But the strategy has changed over the period. One has to be a little louder than earlier. But I still feel that it is the producer who markets the film. An actor can only talk," he says.

Sunny Deol, who was diagnosed with a stone in the kidney sometime ago, is said to be in a lot of pain.

The actor has been nursing back problems and this kidney stone ailment has apparently worsened his health condition. However, Sunny has been working on Sameer Karnik’s Jat Yamla Pagla Deewana and also on another film with Neeraj Pathak.

His close associates say that this Punjab da Puttar can take a lot of physical pain without a murmur, and they doff their hats to this guy who has been quietly doing his work despite the ‘forced’' holidays because of his ill-health.
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Posted On Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 03:23:33 AM

As per the Mumbai Mirror report on July 3, 2010, Sunny Deol had been flown to the US because his recurring back problems were becoming insufferable for him.

Though many denied this report, we have now learnt that the actor underwent back surgery a few days ago. A source said, “Sunny’s wife Pooja is with him.

He is much better now.” Sunny’s man Friday Tolaram, who has been working for him since his debut in Betaab, did not deny that Sunny underwent a back surgery recently. “Abhi saab theek hai,” he said. Sunny apparently has to resume shooting for Jat Yamla Pagla Deewana by the 25th of this month. And the film has a very big action sequence in it.

We hope Sunny is well enough by then to pull it off.

September 6, 2010 : Actor Sunny Deol has played a role of a truck driver in the film 'Gadar- Ek Prem Katha' and you all know that this film was a big hit.

Now once again audience can watch Sunny playing the role of a truck driver in producer, writer and director K.C.Bokadia's film "Khuda Kasam". After five years K.C.Bokadia's film will be releasing and that is "Khuda Kasam" where apart from Sunny, Tabu, Ashish Vidyarthi, Mukesh Rishi and Govind Namdeo are also there.

Director K. C. Bokadia has directed many films like Pyar jhukta nahin, Teri Meherbaniyan, Aaj ka Arjun, Lal Badshah etc. Film "Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam" was his last film as a producer. Now we will have to see whether he will be able to bestow same sort of fine movies to the audience after so many years. We will have to wait till the release of this movie, to find out if this movie will get achievements like the films "Pyar Jhukta Nahin" and "Aaj Ka Arjun".