Sunny Deol

 You hate interviews, don’t you?
(Grimaces) I don’t mind —as long as they are good.

Good to you?
As long as they are fair to me. I am not the kind of actor who likes to talk endlessly. Anyway, most of the time, actors just repeat themselves. I find talking about myself very tiring. I need a reason to do an interview. Usually, most actors just react to what others say about them. Half the time, I don’t read what’s written about me, so I really have nothing to say.

The worst excuse you’ve come up with to avoid an interview.
(Laughs) If I don’t want to meet someone then I don’t. It’s as simple as that.

Do you have friends in the industry?
All my colleagues are my friends. They have accepted that I don’t like hanging out. So, if I don’t go to their parties, they don’t feel bad.

You are playing a sardar once again in Jo Bole So Nihaal. After Border and Gadar, I hope it’s a hat-trick.
I am quite comfortable wearing a turban. I have a gentleman who helps me tie the turban. But I’m going to learn how to tie it. I’ve just been lazy.

How do your kids react to the turban?
I think by now they are used to seeing me like this. I don’t remember any particular reaction. Or maybe they are too shy to tell me. But yeah, during Border, when I wore the turban for the first time, the watchman didn’t recognise me. I thought it was really funny.

Who do you think is the most impressive Sikh ever?
Hey, that’s a difficult question. I haven’t been following who’s doing what. But I think all our great great grandfathers were impressive. We are just carrying around their glory.

You’ve enacted some strong protagonists in films like Arjun, Ghayal, Damini and Gadar. Which is your favourite role?
It’s very different to rank your own work. But Ghayal is very important to me. I remember how nobody wanted to play that role. But I was adamant that the movie should be made, which is why I produced it. Gadar is also very close to me because the character was very vulnerable. But the media just went into overdrive and focused on a side that didn’t exist. Also, I feel the ‘patriotic’ tag is given to me just to run me down.

So, you don’t like being called the modern-day Manoj Kumar?
That’s like putting an end to whatever work I’ve done. Everyone is a patriot. If that’s not true then we have no reason to stay here.

So, why haven’t you directed after Dillagi?
Dillagi took one year of my life and my health problems took another year. I had many pending acting assignments to complete. I know that I can direct, so it’s just a matter of time before I get down to doing it.

What’s the status of Prithviraj Chauhan?
I don’t know. I hope it happens. The director, Chandraprakash Dwivedi, is ready with the script. I feel I suit the character. I’ve always dreamt of playing Prithviraj Chauhan. For a long time, I knew that if I did a costume drama, I would play him.

Will you work with Rajkumar Santoshi again?
I have no issues about working with him. Let’s just say that nothing has materialised.

What advice do you give Bobby and Abhay?
I just tell them to concentrate on what they are doing. And that they shouldn’t let anything or anyone put them down. After all, an actor knows how good or bad he is. Nobody has to tell him that.

Your father Dharmendra says that you are the most selfless person he has ever encountered.
I don’t know how to react. That’s what my dad feels. It’s just that I’m the elder son, and I know my role. I have to take care of my family, and I love doing that.

Why does everyone call you Sunny bhaiyya?
It started with Bobby. Then it caught on. Most of these young boys call me paaji or bhaiyya.

Do your heroines also call you bhaiyya?
(Laughs) No, they call me Sunny.