Film industry realised audience wants to see me on big screen: Sunny Deol

Mumbai: Riding high on the back-to-back success of ‘Gadar 2’ and ‘Border 2’, superstar Sunny Deol said the Hindi film industry has finally taken notice of the fact that audiences want to see him in theatres.

At the success press conference of ‘Border 2’, Deol expressed gratitude for where the audience was ‘hiding’ during his quieter years. “Where were the audience hiding all these years? It’s a lovely thing (that audiences are going to theatres to watch his film). I tell everyone to work hard, love your profession and keep going and not get disheartened. Time is one such thing that comes and goes; no one knows. I’m grateful for the blessing from Waheguru. Wherever I go, people meet with so much love. I guess the industry also came to know that if the audience wants to see me, then why not make films,” the 68-year-old actor said.

Deol recalled an emotional moment in London when a fan touched his feet in respect for his portrayal of a soldier in the 1997 film, ‘Border’. “When I did ‘Border’, I didn’t know it would impact the audience in such a manner. Later, I realised how unknowingly we give back good things to society. Almost all films of mine are like this, only and have some message in them. The audience enjoys these films when they come out of theatres, they want to be like the characters,” he said.

“Earlier also, our films were a reflection of our society, both good and bad... Now, we say, it’s a true story, but earlier films were based on (true) incidents. Like my father’s films, ‘Lalkaar’ and ‘Haqiqat’, from where the excitement started off for such films, then I did ‘Border’,” the actor added.

Deol said he is excited about his upcoming slate of films, including ‘Lahore 1947’ and ‘Gabru’.

‘Lahore 1947’ is a period drama also featuring Preity Zinta and Shabana Azmi and is set to release on August 13. The film is directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan under his production banner ‘Aamir Khan Productions’.

‘Gabru’ is an action-drama film directed by Shashank Udapurkar.

“I’ve ‘Lahore 1947’ up for release, then I’ve a lovely film titled ‘Gabru’, which I will put out on a few screens. It’s a character I love. It’s a story about this man who comes from a small town to a city with a hope to do something and how he gets consumed by the big city, it’s an emotional film,” Deol said.