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FILM INTERVIEW: BOBBY DEOL

Son of Dharmendra Says Family Affair Permeates ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana’

By: Simran Mody
January 11, 2011

The second time is a charm for Bobby Deol, who finally developed an on-screen rapport with his father, the legendary Bollywood actor of Sholay fame in Dharmendra. In starring alongside his acclaimed father and up-and-coming brother Sunny Deol in this week’s release of Samir Karnik’s Yamla Pagla Deewana. While Bobby confessed he was a “nervous wreck” when he first appeared on screen with Dharmendra in 2007’s Apne, the Bollywood actor finally feels comfortable under his skin appearing opposite his father. In fact, Bobby believes the off-screen relationship he has with his father translates rather well on-screen.

 
“Since I am the youngest in the family, I fool around with papa. But I don’t behave in a stupid way. It is because of him that our chemistry is amazing,” Bobby told the press as he promoted Yamla Pagla Deewana. “The first time I worked with my father, I was a nervous wreck. This time, it was much easier. Even though they are father and son, they are friends. They do everything together and can talk about anything under the sun.”
 
In finally feeling comfortable starring opposite his legendary father, Bobby revealed he still had an uphill battle in filming Yamla Pagla Deewana: he had to master being funny. Thankfully, Bobby was not alone in enduring this challenge; his brother had to adapt to a comedic script as well.
 
“I have not done many comedies. However, the situations in this film were great. It is an entertainer, which will take the audience back to the Manmohan Desai lost-and-found genre,” Bobby admitted to the media, adding that his brother Sunny also had to tweak his image for Yamla Pagla Deewana. “(Sunny) is the toughest guy in the film industry. Here, he is a tough guy put in a comical situation. The comedy in Yamla Pagla Deewana is situational, and I’m confident that audiences would react positively to the film.”
 
While the Deols are usually associated with action genre films, Bobby gave some insight as to why the two brothers joined forces with their father in a comedy film.
 
“Action films are associated with the Deol name, but this time the audience will see what great amount of action has been done in a comedy film. We have made this film after three years,” Bobby informed the press. “So my father (said), 'The next time I will come onscreen with my children, I will make a comedy.’ Therefore, we have now got for you Yamla Pagla Deewana.”
 
Yet, it was worth it for Bobby and Sunny to dab their brotherly hands in the comedy genre, especially since it gave them both an opportunity to work with their esteemed father. Dharmendra, who is married to just-as-legendary Bollywood actress Hema Malini, is considered to be among the elites of all-time greatest actors of Hindi cinema.
 
“There has never been anyone like (Dharamendra), nor will there ever be,” Bobby shared with the media when asked about his father. “We recently celebrated his 75th birthday, and also he has completed 50 years in the industry, and we are coming out with this film, which has been made well, as a tribute to him.” 
 
In staying true to the old-school and everything great Dharmendra represents about Bollywood, Bobby informed the press that Yamla Pagla Deewana definitely has a retro feel.
 
“The film begins from Vancouver and ends in Punjab, and in the middle goes through Benaras, where Sunny Deol’s character reaches, because he gets to know from someone that his father and brother are there in Benaras,” said Bobby, who shared with the media a sneak-peak of the film. “That happens after someone looks at his father’s photograph on the wall and says this man had robbed him. And he is told this man is living somewhere is Benaras, and that is where brother's character goes to search him there. My character’s name is Gajodhar, while my father’s is Dharma Singh.”
 
Produced by Nitin Manmohan, Yamla Pagla Deewana opens on January 14th.