Following the record-breaking success of Border 2, Sunny Deol is officially back at the top of the box office. However, the actor recently admitted that the two decades leading up to this moment were filled with quiet frustration and a long wait for meaningful work.
While he remained a household name, he felt the industry’s shift toward corporate filmmaking left little room for the kind of hero he was known for playing. He spent those years waiting for the right scripts, often feeling that the stories being told didn’t have a place for him.
Sunny Deol recalls ‘years of struggle’, says post-2000 Bollywood had ‘nothing for me’
In a recent interview with ANI, Sunny Deol spoke about how the landscape of Hindi cinema changed after the year 2000. He noted that the arrival of big corporate houses changed the way movies were chosen and made, which made it harder for him to find projects he liked.
Speaking about this, Deol said:
“Things keep changing. Aur kya hota hai industry bhi kaafi badalti rahi hai (And industry has also changed a lot). And like, I think after 2000, the corporate world came in, and the ways of making films, I mean, the subjects and topics and actors’ choices and the directors, everything kept changing. So us daur mein shayad mere layak koi aesa subject ya cheez nahi thi (So maybe at that time, there was no such subject or anything like that for me).”
Reflecting on how he kept his spirits up during the slow years, he remarked:
“After years of struggle, when a film does well, you start believing in destiny. Before that, you are only thinking that ‘I will make my destiny, I will do this, I will do that.’ A person keeps doing it. One doesn’t give up, and one should never give up.”
Industry support and the return of the action hero
Now that he has proven his massive drawing power once again, the industry has rallied behind him. The most notable example is his upcoming project, Lahore 1947, which brings together big names who haven’t collaborated like this before. The film is directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan.
According to The Times of India, Aamir Khan expressed deep respect for the project and Sunny’s family, stating:
“This was one of the favourite scripts of Dharamji (Dharmendra), and I am so glad he could see the film.”
Beyond just professional collaborations, stars like Salman Khan have also publicly celebrated his return. Salman reportedly shared his excitement for the opening of Border 2, showing that even the biggest stars in Bollywood were rooting for his comeback. With several high-profile sequels now in the works, it’s clear the industry is once again prioritizing the “mass” appeal that Sunny Deol provides.