Sunny Deol: Bollywood's safe bet

Sunny Deol has a reputation: his films are guaranteed to succeed in India.

Anil Sharma, who directed him in the superhit Gadar -- Ek Prem Katha (2001, with Amisha Patel) and, now, in The Hero -- Love Story of a Spy (costarring Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra, Kabir Bedi and Amrish Puri) says there is nobody more macho in Bollywood than Sunny.

Sunny also has another reputation: of being difficult to pin down for an interview. Shy and reticent, he seldom speaks his heart out and has always dodged the media.

Vickey Lalwani found him in a rare, talkative mood:

Come April 11, will you and Anil Sharma recreate the Gadar magic with The Hero?

We hope to. We have done our best. In fact, The Hero has the potential to scale bigger heights than Gadar.

Looking at the promos, there seems to be a Gadar hangover in The Hero.

(interrupts) I disagree. Both films are totally different.

What is The Hero about?

This spy, Major Arjun Khanna [Sunny Deol], dreams of putting a lid on cross-border terrorism. To achieve that, he has to bring Ishaa Khan [Amrish Puri], the evil mastermind, to book.

What are the girls doing in the film?

(smiles) Preity Zinta plays a Kashmiri girl and Priyanka Chopra plays a Pakistan-born Canadian doctor.

Will such an extravagant project work when most films are turning turtle at the box-office?

I don't know why everyone is making an issue of the fact that the film has been made at Rs 55 crores (Rs 550 million). 

A film must give the audience their money's worth. In The Hero, every cinemagoer will get more than his/her money's worth. There are colossal sets. International action experts have coordinated the stunts.

[Producers] Shah Brothers hired professional wrestler Mike Lorio for an action sequence. Mike, who is 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 350 pounds, plays Kabir Bedi's bodyguard.

Many portions [of the film] have been shot in Canada and Switzerland.

Aren't you being modest by not mentioning your 11,000 feet jump?

(smiles) Yes, I jumped off an 11,000 feet tall peak for [an action sequence in] The Hero. Looking back, one may say it was foolish of me. But I love doing [stunts] on my own. It was difficult, but not back-breaking.

Was it easy shooting in Canada and Switzerland?

Are you kidding? Every five minutes, we had to be transported to rooms with heaters. We just froze -- it was that cold. The temperatures dipped below -20 degree Celsius.

The climax, which is one of the film's highlights, was shot at Jungfrau [Heights, Switzerland] at -16 degree Celsius.

You have won appreciation for your roles in director Rajkumar Santoshi's Ghayal and Damini. Can we expect to see you together again?

We have had differences in the past, but we have patched up now. Santoshi is a fine filmmaker and we both want to get together again. I would love to work with him if he has something nice to offer me.

What's next on the agenda?

After The Hero, you will see me in Jaal -- The Trap [as a singer], Khel [as a police inspector] and in Vicky Kumar's untitled venture directed by choreographer Ahmed Khan. I can't tell you about my role in Vicky's film; it is too early to speak about it.

A word on Anil Sharma's forthcoming film featuring the three Deols?

Anil is thinking of directing my dad [Dharmendra], [younger brother] Bobby and me in a film, but a few things still need to be finalised. It will be shot extensively in the US.

Have you become very choosy in selecting your roles?

Nothing like that. But today, most scripts are extremely disappointing. Where have the good scriptwriters disappeared to? For that matter, where have the good directors disappeared to? I can hardly see any!

What is your opinion about the latest trend of making crossover films?

Crossover cinema may be a bit popular today, but does that imply it will remain popular in the long run too?

I don't think [working on] a crossover film would suit me.

I like it when my film does well in the overseas market. I want a Hindustani to conquer the world. But I don't get carried away by overseas acclaim and returns. I want my film to do well in India first.

A word about your father?

(raises his eyebrows) My dad is unarguably one of the finest actors Bollywood has seen.

Unfortunately, rather inexplicably, he never got his due. Neither in the media, nor by way of awards.

Tell me one actor who can boast of a repertoire like Anupama, Aayi Milan Ki Bela, Satyakam, Phool Aur Pathhar, Aankhen, Chupke Chupke, Sholay, Mera Gaon Mera Desh and Pratigya in his kitty?