Sunny Deol says Bollywood has become a ‘perception game’, actors have lost their individuality: ‘Their entourage makes decisions for them’

Sunny Deol said that the industry has become a game of 'perception', and only those who can play it are succeeding.

New Delhi | Updated: August 10, 2023 12:11 PM IST

3 min read

Sunny Deol will next be seen in Gadar 2. (Photo: Sunny Deol/Instagram)

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Actor Sunny Deol offered his two cents on the state of the Hindi film industry, which he acknowledged has changed massively in the two decades since Gadar became a blockbuster. Sunny is reprising his role as Tara Singh in Gadar 2, which is set to be released in theatres on Friday, alongside Akshay Kumar-starrer OMG-2.

In an interview with ABP Live, Sunny spoke about the corporatisation of the Hindi film industry, the meaninglessness of awards, and how actors no longer have original ideas, but rely on an entourage and a team of advisors. He said that he doesn’t support these changes, and also admitted that his abrasiveness might rub some people the wrong way.

Also read | Sunny Deol ‘compromised’ on his fees for Gadar 2, says director Anil Sharma: ‘Stars these days charge Rs 150 crore’

Asked about the importance of marketing oneself these days, in addition to one’s films, Sunny said in Hindi, “That is a problem only if you become jealous at others’ success. Everyone has his own personality. Being content is very important. I’m an actor who enjoys acting and wants to carry on acting. I’m not the kind of person who will run around chasing endorsement deals.”

He continued, “As we entered the 21st century, the industry became corporatised. It’s become a game of perception, and only those who can play this game have succeeded. There’s no reality to it. Our actors have also become servants to this culture. But they’re happy, and I’m not bad-mouthing anybody, but this is what it is. But it saddens me to see youngsters entering the industry and emulating this culture. Acting is an art; it is not bodybuilding, it is not dancing, it is not doing any other stupid things…”

Sunny said that these days, actors have turned into models. “They’re surrounded by an entourage, they have 10 people making decisions on their behalf. People are losing their individuality,” he said, adding that the people who play this ‘perception game’ have also snatched away the ‘respectability’ attached to awards.

Sunny was last seen in the 2022 film Chup: Revenge of the Artist, directed by R Balki. His father, Dharmendra, was recently seen in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, and his younger son, Rajveer, will soon make his debut with the film Dono.

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