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'I was comfortable using foul language in front of dad'

The youngest of the Deols, Bobby Deol is still treated like a child by his father Dharmendra and elder brother Sunny.

Now, the three will be back on the marquee with Yamla Pagla Deewana, where Bobby cuts a hilarious figure.

Sonil Dedhia met up with the actor, and quized him about the film, his famous last name, and much more.

Did you expect such a great response for Yamla Pagla Deewana trailer?

No. We had unveiled the first look in August, and it created a lot of curiosity and buzz. The first promo came out a couple of days before Diwali and well received too. So Diwali turned out to be amazing! People are now waiting to see the film. I hope it lives up to its expectations.

How did the idea of the three Deols coming together again happen?

Apne was appreciated by the audience and Dharmendra's fans wanted to see more of him. People would tell him, 'Aapne to rula diya hamein'.

So he promised that the next time he came on screen, he would make everyone laugh. So it was a planned move.

Also, this is his 50th year in the industry. What better way to celebrate it?

'Dad is the real He-Man of Bollywood'

Tell us about your character in the movie.

My character Gajodhar Singh is from Banares. He is a small-time crook.

His father is his partner-in-crime. They are happy-go-lucky people, who love drinking and pulling off hilarious cons on unsuspecting people. 

Sunny Deol plays an NRI, who lands up in Banares, claiming to be my elder brother.

I start liking a girl from Punjab too. But things aren't as simple as they look.

In the promos, we see you do an item number with Dharmendra.

Items numbers have become a part of movies. We did not intend to put in an item number when we started shooting. All we wanted was a total entertainer, full of masala. We thought of the item number later.

The industry is going to get to new item boys. Dad is just excellent. At 75, you can see how beautifully he has danced. He is the real He-Man and He-Man ko dard nahi hota. (laughs)

'I enjoyed shooting with my father'

Tell us about your shooting experience.

We shot at a lot of places in India. Punjab was like home. The atmosphere was amazing. We never felt that we were shooting a movie. It was like a family outing.

I remember we were shooting in Patiala, which was very close to my mother's hometown. We would get the tasty ghar ka khanna everyday. We also shot in Maheshwar, which is a small town near Indore. Almost all the hotels were full because people wanted to see the shoot.

How comfortable were you saying those lines to your father in the promo?

Very comfortable. We understand that we are in a character and it's all about being in character. I don't mean those words. I enjoyed shooting with my father. We play a role where we are buddies. In normal life, friends call each other 'kamina' and 'salle'.

'I remember bunking school and accompanying dad to shoots'

How different is Dharmendra in real life?

A lot. He has been a man who has cared about others first and then himself. He has always gone out of his way to help people without others knowing about it. More than a star, he has been my father, my brother and my best friend.

Do you think he has got his due?

The biggest credit he has got is the love from his fans. People say that we like this actor in a particular movie or we like his work. But when it comes to my father, I have always heard people say that we like his work and we love him. They love us the same way.

What are your childhood memories of him?

I am fortunate that I was born when he had time to spend with family. I remember bunking school and accompanying him to shoots. I am lucky to have him as my father.

'I work in few films at a time'

Which are your favourite Dharmendra films?

Satykam, Chupke Chupke, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Pratigya, Naukar Biwi Ka... The list goes on.

If given a choice to work in a remake of any of his movies, which one would you pick?

I don't think it's possible. His charm can never be re-created. Besides, I can hardly think of any good writers, who can create the same magic on screen.

You have always remained choosy about films.

You can't say that I am choosy. You can say that I work in few films at a time. I try to space out my films. But all of a sudden, I have three releases this year.

'People did not take Abhay seriously when he started his career'

You are very media shy. Why is that?

Our entire family is shy. Apart from film promotions, we do not believe in staying in the limelight. At the end of the day, I wonder how much can an actor talk the whole year? I don't believe in getting into unnecessary controversies just because I need to be in the papers.

Abhay Deol has taken a different route and is doing a lot of alternative cinema.

People did not take Abhay seriously when he started his career. But now, everyone talks about his movies. A lot of filmmakers want to work with him. So it feels nice. He believes in what he is doing and I hope he does well in future.

What next?

I am doing Anees Bazmee's Thank You, which is a romantic comedy. Then, there's Abbas-Mustan's Players, which will be an action thriller.