Bollywood actor Bobby Deol describes himself as a late bloomer, now hitting his stride in his 50s. In his twenties, the son of legendary actor Dharmendra and brother of actor Sunny Deol admits he lacked ambition and the drive to be hyper-vigilant about acting jobs.
“My family and I are all very simple people. I never believed in competing. I always thought everyone should be working and that I shouldn’t take away someone else’s work. But the world was all about competition, and that put me down … But you learn to evolve with age,” said Bobby Deol in an interview with Gulf News.
Over time, he has also realised that nobody will hold your hand or lead the way. "Self-belief" is the only way forward, says the actor.
“I am almost 55 years of age right now, and I have this fire that’s burning so strong in me … I love that. But I wish I had this fire in me in my 20s," said Deol.
The global pandemic proved to be a turning point for the 55-year-old actor, who made a sturdy comeback with a string of gritty web series, including director Prakash Jha’s Ashram and Class Of 83. In 2023, he played a fierce villain in the controversial blockbuster Animal, portraying a differently-abled psychopath who hacks people to death and violates his multiple wives, all with an evil smirk.
“When I started doing OTT shows, it changed the course of my career. When Ashram and Class Of 83 became a huge success and became the most-watched web series in India and beyond, people noticed that I am capable of a lot more … OTT platforms don’t look at an actor or their preconceived image … Things started shifting for me when my shows did well, and people began looking at me differently.”
It’s safe to say that Deol is enjoying a career revival of sorts. Once a '90s heartthrob, Bobby Deol’s career, which kick-started with the 1995 romance Barsaat, took a downturn as Bollywood evolved, leaving him on the sidelines. After years of limited visibility, the digital boom in India sparked a remarkable reinvention as he began taking on darker, wicked roles. After playing an evil character in Animal, he returns in an even more bestial form in his first Tamil-language film Kanguva, releasing in UAE cinemas on November 14.
“I am just so excited, and what better way to start your career in the Tamil industry than with a film like Kanguva and to work with Suriya. I am his big fan, and he’s such a sweetheart. He’s an amazing person. The best part was being on this set surrounded by a down-to-earth and humble director, cast, and crew. I never felt out of place because they made me feel comfortable.”
The fantasy epic, directed by Siva, was offered to the actor even before Animal released or became a blockbuster.
“I manifested this role because I knew I had to do this role. This was my ultimate wish coming true … There’s no magic like the silver screen. The magic that it creates is something else. I’m so grateful that a genius director like Sandeep Reddy Vanga saw something in a photograph of mine and gave me Animal. That film changed everything.”
While Animal was a shot in the arm for Deol’s career, the movie—about an obsessive son going on a killing rampage to avenge his father’s shooting—was criticized for its misogynistic and sexist undertones. But Deol is focused on looking at the brighter side, feeling rewarded for taking career risks. For the actor, the warrior epic Kanguva also pushed him out of his comfort zone.
“Kanguva is based in a period around 1,000 years ago when civilization was not fully formed … I am very animalistic in my behavior, almost like a beast in this film. It was fun and tough.” On any given day, there were at least 3,000 people on the set, with smoke, dust, and chaos all around.
“But our director Siva was amazingly calm. He’s such a visionary. While shooting, I just had blue walls behind me, but the final look was mind-blowing.”
He also dubs it as one of the most physically grueling roles of his career.
“Many people think an actor’s life is very easy. But our shooting locations are often dusty, humid … There were storm fans with smoke and dust being thrown at you. My prosthetics alone took two hours every day … But it was fun and it was worth every minute.”
So, did failures teach him more than his successes?
“Failure teaches you a lot more. Failure teaches you about not taking your success to your head. I have seen many ups and downs in my life. I have seen people change in front of me and towards me, when I failed. So I have learned not to take anything to my head. The world is a brutal place; it takes a lot from you based on their need. But I have learned to roll with the punches.”
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Kanguva is out in UAE cinemas on November 14
