'I don't want to pity myself anymore, I'm here and want to work': Bobby Deol

The 'Gupt' star candidly speaks about losing his stardom, financial crunch and making a comeback

ENTERTAINMENT DESK: Bobby Deol, who was quite the heartthrob back in the 90s is finally making a comeback after a four-year-long break with the upcoming flick Poster Boys. The  Gupt star will re-appear on the big screen alongside brother Sunny Deol.

Deol was asked as to whether he believed he had lost his stardom and he retorted, "I have never let any of that get to me because when I was growing up, I saw my dad going through ups and downs in his career. My dad is a legend, and I have seen him being surrounded by chamchas." 

"These people make you live in a make-belief world and I, for one, have always tried to avoid that. But it's true that I haven't worked for the last four years, and before that I did a few films which did just about decent business," he added.



"So, I didn't realise how I was missing out on good work. Eventually, instead of me being choosy, which I was, people started becoming choosy about me (laughs). So it was a tougher time then. Luckily this script came my way," Deol quipped.

The actor spoke about his hiatus and what convinced him to break his low-profile spell and sign up for Poster Boys: "I had been hearing a lot of stories, ideas and scripts. However, not many of them were exciting to me. Plus, I felt that my career would be pushed further back if I signed those films. Then Shreyas Talpade's script came along with this idea, which was a big challenge for me. I have always played rich characters in thrillers and glamorous films," he revealed.



"However, here was a director who wanted me to play a small-town school teacher. I was excited and very nervous at the same time. I hope people enjoy watching me in this avatar," he added.

When asked how the actor prepped himself to face the camera after four years, Deol responded, "I had asked Shreyas to do workshops before the film went on floors since I had to speak in shuddh Hindi. And it's not just the diction; I was working after four years so I really wanted to do my best."

"I was nervous on the first day," he confessed.

Deol also shed light on his experience with working with a debutante director.



"Working with an actor-director is a great combination. When I did Dillagi with my brother, he was acting and also directing for the first time and I really enjoyed it," he shared.

"An actor brings out the best in another actor, because they know how to evoke emotions. So it was great doing the film with Shreyas. We finished the film in 37 days in Bhor and then shot for a few more days in Bombay. The film was wrapped up in less than 45 days," Deol informed.

The theme of the film delves into the sensitive issue of male sterilisation and older brother Sunny Deol is essaying the lead.

"First of all, taking Sunny Deol in a film which is about nasbandi (Vasectomy) itself is a big deal. It made the scope of the film more exciting," Deol said.



"In this industry, you get typecast early on and you cannot do anything away from that. When Shreyas thought of making this film in Hindi, and approached my brother, people told him, 'How are you talking to Sunny for this role?' Then, there was me too in a completely different character. I think it's this combination which makes the film more funny and interesting," he remarked.

On the subject of Vasectomy, Deol commented, "That's one word I still can’t pronounce (laughs). There is a dialogue in the film where I say 'Vascetomy', and people respond, Yeh tommy kaun hai?" the actor told Spotboye.

"In our country, everybody is embarrassed to talk about it. The basic motive of the film is not to preach, but to let people know that this is what it is. If you can control yourself, then you don't have to go through the surgery. But if you can’t, then you should realise what's happening to our country's population and you should go ahead and do it," he went on to add.

When asked whether he endorses vasectomy, Deol retorted, "It's not about me doing it personally. I have two kids and I don't think I am going to have any more. So I do believe that we shouldn't have too many kids. At the end of the day, how are they going to take care of themselves when there won't be any space for them to live in?"

When asked if direction and film-making are on the cards, the actor said he is not the sort to control people and directing is definitely not his forte.



Dwelling on his stagnating career while his contemperaries  went on to become superstars, the actor said, "In this business, you have to be at the right place at the right time. I am a very shy person in real life. I don't know how to communicate to get work - maybe that’s what is required - so it tends to make you look lazy and not interested."



"I wanted to do many films during the period when I wasn't getting any offers. And I think luck also favours people at times and sometime it doesn't favour others. But I don't want to live my life on luck (anymore). I want to work hard," he further stated.

"I went through four years fighting my own demons and I have come out feeling more positive, clearer and energetic. I have a long way ahead of me in the film industry," Deol solemnly added.

The actor was asked whether he actively made phone calls, looking for work. "In the last two years, I approached a lot of people for work, however, it didn't happen. By people, I mean people whom I really wanted to work with. But, I think that makes you even stronger because you realise that you have to fight your own battles and no one is going to help you. No one is going to pick you up and give you a hug and say let’s work," the Soldier star shared.

On whether the lack of opportunities crated a financial crunch in the family, Deol responded in the affirmative.

"It did. My family is like any other family. If you don't work, it does affect you. People think that I don't need to work and have enough of everything. But it's not like that. I need to work to survive," he revealed.

"More than anything else I am a father now, and I need to take care of my two kids and give them a great life. I just want to work for them. Even if you have enough, when you are a parent, you always keep thinking how you can do more for your kids. That's my only ambition, to take care of my kids till my last breath," the actor stated.

The interview also teased on personal questions such as whether the rumours suggesting that he is struggling with depression were true and the actor did not shy away from responding.

"The news started after I gave an interview. In that article, I spoke about myself. I wasn't fighting any depression, neither was I taking medication or seeing shrinks. I was just fighting my situation," he said.

"As human beings we are not very strong people. When you are going through a rough phase, you take support of things which tend to help you at that point of time, but eventually, you realise that they are only destroying you and you come out of that. I went through all of it. I realised that what I was doing to myself was not going to take me anywhere. I don't want to pity myself anymore. I am here and want to work," the actor candidly shared.

Deol was also confronted about his unsuccessful endeavours at deejaying.

"I wasn't deejaying at the do. I was just going to attend an event. I don't know how to DJ. I love listening to music and whenever I go out, I am always hoping that there is a good DJ playing good tracks," he clarified.

Discussing prospective projects, the star revealed, "Right now I'm working on Yamla Pagla Deewana 3. I keep meeting people, but there is nothing concrete as of now," he informed.

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