Superstar Sunny Deol appeared exuberant in Rajat Sharma’s show ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ after the recent success of his movie ‘Gadar 2’ which has garnered Rs 511 crore at the box-office till now.
To a question whether he would think of doing ‘Gadar 3’ in future, Sunny Deol replied: “Gadar 2 laane ke liye main dar raha tha, Gadar 3 ke liye main taiyar hoon” (I was afraid when I was doing Gadar 2, but now I’m ready to do Gadar 3)
When Rajat Sharma asked whether he had got offers to do sequels like Border 2, Ghayal 2, Arjun 2, Sunny Deol replied: “I think the characters in these movies have made their place in the hearts of people. They want extensions of those characters. There was a time when Border 2 was being planned, but it could not happen. Now that this film (Gadar 2) has clicked, everybody is energetic, I think some day or other they will be made.”
Rajat Sharma: I’ve heard Sunny has also gained some ‘josh’, and that you’ve been demanding Rs 50 crore for a film?
Sunny Deol: Look, it’s the producer who will decide how much to pay depending on how much he earns.
Rajat Sharma: If a movie earns Rs 500 crore, one can demand Rs 50 crore?
Sunny Deol: He will decide how much he can pay. I will not say, I’ll do or not do. I do not work like this. I like to be in projects where I am not a burden.
Rajat Sharma: Did you ever expect Gadar 2 to become a superhit?
Sunny Deol: I had no such expectations…when the first Gadar movie was made, it’s the people who made it a big hit. There was no digital world in those days. But we had that gut feeling that it would click. In those days, we did not use to go out for promotions. ..This time, before doing Gadar 2, we, particularly our director, did a brainstorming. It was delayed and Covid pandemic began. When he told me about the idea, I liked it and from then onwards, work began. I had this confidence that the people who liked Gadar, will like this sequel too. I knew, either the movie will not click, or if it clicked, it will give the movie its due honour (izzat). This movie has kept its ‘izzat’ as a sequel.”
On Salman Khan praising Gadar 2 with his tweet “Dhai kilo ka haath equals chalis cr ki opening. Sunny paaji is killing it. Congrats to the entire team of Gadar 2”, Sunny Deol replied: “Salman and I have a different equation. Obviously I’m senior to him. When I used to work, he used to come on the set. ..Hamesha.. He had a good bond with Papa (Dharmendra)..And so that give and take, which is with very few people, was there. Obviously, it is not that they are my colleagues. I have my bonds with everyone. I am what I am, you may like it or may not like it.”
Rajat Sharma: Even Shahrukh Khan has praised Gadar 2?
Sunny Deol: Definitely, definitely. Woh zamana (those days) when it happened, that was a different time. I say, people forget what happened in those days. One understands such things should not have happened. It was ‘bachpana’ (childish), definitely. After that, Shahrukh and I met several times and spoke to each other about many things. We also talked about some movies. This time, he was watching my film with his entire family. And he called me up. Toh sab cheezen bahut badhiya hai. Sab kuch bahut badhiya (everything is fine now).
Sunny Deol was obliquely referring to the incident with Shahrukh Khan during the shooting of 1993 blockbuster Darr, when he ripped the pockets of his jeans in anger and swore to never work with Yash Chopra again.
Rajat Sharma: Even Karan Johar has praised you this time?
Sunny Deol: “Chaliye, isliye main maafi maangta hoon” (Okay, I tender apology for this)
When Rajat Sharma asked why he did not mix up much with his fraternity in the film industry and avoided parties, Sunny Deol replied: ” I don’t say going to parties is not good, but one has to consume liquor, which I don’t. I am an early riser. I go to bed early. Earlier when I used to attend parties, senior actors, who consumed too much liquor, used to hold me back and then engaged me in a loop and spoke continuously. So one or two or three persons used to hold me back, and mujhko bhi chadh jaati thi (I used to get on a high). After drinks, you can’t talk sensibly, but it was a different period then.”
Rajat Sharma: I was reading Dharam Ji’s interview, where he said, he tried to teach Sunny and asked you to sing the song ‘Mausam Yoon Barasta Hai, Dar Kyun Mujhko Lagta hai’. He said he even told Sunny to hug Amrita Singh, but he refused?
Sunny Deol: It’s not that it didn’t happen. Basically, I’m a shy guy. I used to be shy since childhood. I say, every person has his own personality.
Rajat Sharma: Do you give jhappi (hug) now?
Sunny Deol: No, I mean, it’s not good to give jhappi without any reason. I have changed a lot. I am changing with the times. I am now 65. If I don’t change, then when?
POLITICS
Sunny Deol said, he was going to quit politics and will not contest next year’s Lok Sabha elections from Gurdaspur, Punjab. “I am not fit for politics….I will not like to contest election anymore. It will be good if I continue to work only as an actor.”
Rajat Sharma: What if Modi ji insisted?
Sunny Deol: I think Modi Ji understands that this boy Sunny is doing good service for the country as an actor, and he should continue to do so. Even people want I should give them good cinema in which I have expertise. I want to make good films for our youth so that they become motivated, be positive. I think we should always be positive and we are proud of what we are.”
Sunny Deol said: “My attendance record in Parliament is very poor. I didn’t ask a single question in the House.”
Rajat Sharma read out his attendance record, which says, Sunny Deol went to Parliament only 19 times in the last three and a half years, and asked only one question. He skipped 2021 and 2022 winter session and this year’s monsoon session.
Sunny Deol said, “I don’t say it’s a good thing to have a low attendance. When I joined politics, I started to realize, it is not my world. But I did all the work that I had to do in my constituency. I will continue to do so, whether I attend the House or not. There is security, and I face problems. As an actor when I go there, crowds surround me. This is our shortcoming. I have a long list of work that I did for my constituency. In politics as a profession, I am a misfit…. I am only able as an actor. Earlier I became a director, a producer. I left everything because I am good at being an actor.”
PAKISTAN
On some Pakistanis on social media challenging him for a duel, Sunny Deol replied: “Such statements will come. I am an actor. I play characters. It will be better if we do not take what is shown in movies as personal. Of course, if somebody wants a ‘panga’ (duel) with me, let him come.”
On another Pakistani saying that their army will reply if ever Sunny visits their country, the actor replied: “In reality, I am not a soldier. I am an actor. I always say, I am doing the role of a character. As a soldier, why should anybody go to another country? No soldier wants to fight the other. A soldier has to work for his country. Nobody wants to take the other’s life….Let me tell you, people from Pakistan shower their love, whenever I go abroad. There are political issues which create problems. People from both sides (of the border) are the same. People have gone from here. Hum sab isi mitti ke hain, aur sab ek hi hain, aur yeh jo ladhai vagairah hoti hain, yeh honi nahin chahiye. Har aadmi jo ladh raha hai, woh kisi ka beta hai, husband hai, uski behenen hain, poora pariva uska hai aur yeh koi nahin chahta ki woh usey kho den. Na idhar ka chahta hai, na udhar ka chahta hai. Main toh hamesha yahi kahoonga ki yeh sulah ho jaye charon taraf. Kyunki zindabi jab humen mil hi gayi hai, woh jeena ke liye hai, Ladhne ke liye nahin.” (We all belong to the same soil. We are all one. These wars should not have happened. Everybody who is fighting is somebody’s son, husband, he has sisters, aur his whole family. Nobody wants to lose them. Neither from this side, nor from that side. I will always say that there must be conciliation all over. The life we have got is meant for living, not for fighting)