Sunny Deol: The Celebrity Of The New Era
Sunny Deol the actual legend of the Indian Film Industry
Sunny Deol, a prominent Bollywood actor, was born to Dharmendra and Prakash Kaur. Despite studying theatre in Birmingham, his roles have often portrayed him as a tough rural man fighting against villains. With his strong physique, he’s not someone to be trifled with. Sunny’s dedication to fitness aligns with his famous dialogue “Dhai kilo ka haath.” In real life, he’s reserved and introspective, in contrast to his on-screen heroic image.
Originating from Punjab, Sunny is Dharmendra’s son and has three siblings: Bobby Deol, two sisters living in California, Vijayta and Ajeeta. He attended Sacred Heart Boys High School in Mumbai and later studied at Ramniranjan Anandilal Podar College of Commerce and Economics before pursuing theatre.
The wife of Sunny Deol, Pooja Deol consciously avoids media attention, reflecting her preference for privacy in her personal life.
Sunny Deol Started his Career
Born into a film family, Indian movie Sunny was a familiar name in the industry even before his official debut. In 1983, he marked his first appearance in the film industry with the movie “Betaab.” Despite it being his debut role, he left a lasting impression on audiences, garnering extensive acclaim and a nomination for the Filmfare Best Actor award. This initial success propelled him into stardom, leading him to feature in numerous films throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
In 1985, Sunny Deol played a significant role in Rahul Rawail’s “Arjun,” where he starred alongside Dimple Kapadia. The film achieved considerable success at the box office and prompted a Tamil remake due to its positive reception.
The year 1989 saw Sunny in the role of Inspector Karan Saxena, engaged to Madhuri Dixit’s character Divya, in Rajiv Rai’s “Tridev.” Continuing his prolific career, he took on the lead role in the 1990 film “Krodh,” co-starring Amrita Singh and Sonam. The same year, “Ghayal” was released, a film that earned him his inaugural national award for his portrayal of Ajay Mehra. The movie enjoyed tremendous success and ranked as the second highest-grossing film of that year. Sunny’s exceptional performance led to the film being remade in Tamil at a later time.
In 1992, Sunny Deol took on the lead role in the thriller “Vishwatma.” The film is centered around two men driven by the desire for revenge. The narrative followed Prabhat Singh (portrayed by Mr. Deol) and Akash Bharadwaj (played by Chunky Pandey) as they embarked on a journey to Kenya to confront the underworld leader portrayed by Amrish Puri. The gripping plot, combined with their strong acting abilities, held audiences captivated and contributed to the movie’s success at the box office.
Moving on to 1993, Sunny Deol starred in “Lootere” opposite Juhi Chawla. His character, a police officer, is tasked with safeguarding Anjali (Juhi Chawla), the sole witness to a crime. Their journey together leads to a blossoming romance. This film marked a rare instance of Sunny engaging in romantic scenes. Additionally, in the same year, he collaborated with Juhi Chawla once again in the movie “Darr.” This film featured Shah Rukh Khan as an obsessive lover named Rahul who is infatuated with Kiran (Juhi Chawla). In “Darr,” Sunny Deol portrayed Kiran’s boyfriend. The movie famously introduced Shah Rukh’s “K.. K .. Kiran” stutter. Following this project, Sunny became disheartened with the Chopra production house as he perceived that his character didn’t receive adequate screen time, while the Chopras were seemingly focused on promoting Shah Rukh Khan.
The year 1993 brought some positive moments for Sunny as well. During this year, Mr. Deol movies list “Damini – Lightning” was also released. In this movie, he portrayed the character of a lawyer handling a rape case. His powerful performance and the iconic “Tarikh pe tarikh” dialogue earned him a National Award for his exceptional supporting role. Despite not being in the lead role, his acting prowess received recognition and applause. The dialogue itself became widely popular.
In the film “Jeet” released in 1996, this renowned action star, often associated with roles of protagonists battling crime, embraced a negative role as a criminal who develops romantic feelings for Kajal (Karisma Kapoor). As he’s ready to abandon his criminal life for a path of righteousness, Kajal decides to end their relationship. This heartbreak leads Karan (Sunny Deol) back into his old ways.
Returning to his forte of action films, Sunny portrayed a Jatt character in “Border” (1997), a movie centered around the India-Pakistan conflict in 1971. His performance as an aggressive character in this war drama was exceptional, contributing to the film’s success at the box office. “Border” is among the few notable war films and achieved significant popularity.
In 1997, Sunny Deol took on a role in “Ziddi,” alongside Raveena Tandon. His character, Deva, is depicted as a passionate young man deeply devoted to his family’s welfare. Deva’s aggressive demeanor leads him to incarceration, but upon his release, he initiates a self-proclaimed “Deva ki adaalat,” a system aimed at punishing those who commit injustices. Raveena Tandon depicts the character Jaya, a dancer at a club, who finds herself falling in love with Deva. “Ziddi” achieved success at the box office, particularly resonating with Sunny’s fans in the northern regions, who admired his portrayal.
In 1999, he reunited with his “Lootere” co-star Juhi Chawla for “Arjun Pandit.” In this film, Sunny assumes the role of an intense lover who kidnaps Nisha (Juhi Chawla) to celebrate her birthday. While the movie may not have been a commercial hit, Sunny’s performance showcased his versatility and reminded the Bollywood audience of his wide-ranging acting abilities.
The same year marked Sunny’s directorial debut with “Dillagi,” starring Bobby Deol and Urmila Matondkar. In the film, Sunny portrayed Rajvir’s (Bobby Deol’s) brother. Although the movie didn’t achieve significant success at the box office, Sunny’s venture into directing received commendation for his effort.
In 2001, Sunny Deol took on a prominent role in “Indian,” co-starring Shilpa Shetty. He portrayed the character Raj Shekhar Azad, an upright Deputy Commissioner determined to eradicate corruption from the system. His path crosses with an equally unyielding terrorist. Additionally, during the same year, he featured in “Farz” alongside Preity Zinta. In this film, Sunny assumed the role of a corrupt police officer, while his partner Arjun Singh adhered strictly to the rules. Preity Zinta portrayed Arjun’s daughter, who falls for Karan (Sunny).
Across his films, a compelling mixture of action and romance was a defining characteristic. Regardless of whether he played the hero or the antagonist, audiences were captivated by his performances. This was exemplified in the movie Gadar Mr. Deol “Gadar: Ek Prem Katha” (2001), where he played the character Tara Singh, a truck driver who falls in love with a Muslim girl, portrayed by Ameesha Patel. The film gained renown for its intense love story and enjoyed commercial success. In fact, it emerged as one of the most prosperous films in India that year, earning Sunny Deol a Filmfare Award nomination.
In 2002, Indian movie Sunny portrayed a military officer in “Maa Tujhe Salam.” Playing roles such as a cop or a military officer comes naturally to Sunny, and he executes them flawlessly every time. Continuing in 2003, he assumed the lead in “The Hero: Love Story of a Spy.” In this film, Sunny portrayed Arun Sharma, a military officer who falls in love with Reshma (Preity Zinta). Reshma agrees to act as a spy for the army and cross the border. However, she is captured and escapes, crossing the border. Amidst their wedding, an attack occurs, leading to Reshma’s disappearance. Arun adopts the identity of Wahid, a nuclear scientist, to seek revenge.
After a hiatus from the silver screen, Sunny Deol made appearances alongside his family members (Dharmendra and Bobby) in “Apne” (2007) and “Yamla Pagla Deewana” (2011). In 2013, his film “Singh Saab The Great” achieved success, revolving around the idea that effecting change is superior to seeking vengeance. He later directed “Ghayal Once Again” in 2016, a sequel to his 1990 film “Ghayal.” Subsequently, he starred in “Poster Boys” (2017), “Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se” (2018), and “Blank” (2019). Although his big screen appearances have diminished, Mr. Deol remains a beloved action hero in Bollywood. In 2019, he directed his third film, “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas,” marking the debut of his son Karan Deol. He also appeared in “Chup: Revenge of The Artist” (2022) and reprised his role as Tara Singh in the commercially successful sunny deol new movie is “Gadar 2” (2023).
