Sunny Deol-Pooja Deol ‘hated’ that son Rajveer wanted to be an actor: ‘It’s mentally draining… my dad had a hit after 22 years’

“My parents hated the fact that I’m becoming an actor. They wanted me to study and do something else, because this industry is so unpredictable. You are happy for a second and miserable for not getting work. I mean, dad got a hit (Gadar 2) after 22 years. So they were worried, because it’s such a mentally draining line. But I just fell in love with acting, I couldn’t get enough of it. Even now they wish I was doing something else,” Rajveer said.

Rajveer, who will now carry the legacy of the Deol family forward, said because he grew up in a film family background—where everyone was an actor—he was always influenced by movies. “I felt one could just disguise themselves in the characters. So this is what I wanted to do. My family advised me to work hard. They told me not to be a star and try to be an actor first, as the characters will make me a star,” he added.

Dono also marks the directorial debut of filmmaker and producer Sooraj Barjatya’s son Avnish Barjatya. He has previously worked as an assistant director on his father’s films like Prem Ratan Dhan Payo and Uunchai.

Rajveer said his debut is in a soft romantic space, contrary to the “action” image of the Deols, but that was intentional— he didn’t want to enter the space as a machi man beating 100 people and screaming.

“Yes the first perception is that I will be beating up people and screaming. But when I read the script, I felt this was a character and not a ‘hero’, felt like he was an individual and a character I could sink my teeth into. My skeleton was perfect to fit here. I feel blessed and lucky that this script came to me…. You need to have your own individual stamp in this industry, otherwise they expect you to follow your dad or grandfather’s trait.

“I really liked the subject when Avnish narrated it to me because it was so different to what people would expect me to choose. Like, they would expect me to choose beat 100 people up, scream, and have a big body. But unfortunately, I was in love with the craft of acting. I noticed that if I get typecast in that, then it is not a good idea personally,” he added.

Sunny’s elder son, Karan Deol, made his acting debut with the 2019 film Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, which was directed by his father. Dono is set to release on October 5.