The dynamics of filmmaking have failed: Sunny Deol

Actor-filmmaker Sunny Deol says the entire dynamics and economics of filmmaking has failed, and he sees a lot of corporatisation in films these days. Talking about his marketing skills, he said: "You know very well how bad I am at selling myself.

If I knew how to do that, I would. But I don't! To me, cinema is my passion. I inherited this passion from my father (actor Dharmendra). Even if I am not seen that often on screen, I am thinking, breathing and exhaling cinema." He was last seen on the big screen in ‘Ghayal Once Again’ in 2016, a sequel to his 1990 blockbuster ‘Ghayal’. Sunny directed the sequel and it failed.

Sunny said: "I did what I could, given the limitations. The entire dynamics and economics of filmmaking has failed. I see a lot of corporatisation, but very little genuine passion in the films today."

"I hardly watch any of the films being made these days. I don't have the time. Even when I was younger, I was not much of a movie watcher. When I have time, I watch south Indian films. I find them very strong in content."

Among recent films, he watched ‘Baahubali’. "The first part, not the second. I remember coming out of it with tears in my eyes and hope in my heart. I felt the film was not up to the mark in special effects. But it scored very high in emotion and drama. This is what we must focus on in our cinema," he said.

Sunny will be seen next week in the quirky comedy ‘Poster Boys’ with which actor Shreyas Talpade turns director. "What attracted me to this project? That my brother Bobs (Bobby Deol) was in it was an incentive, yes.

That it was already a hit in Marathi... no. That didn't mean anything to me. But when I heard the idea, I instantly warmed up to it and agreed to do it. Not too many scripts these days make us smile. 'Poster Boys' made me smile."

Though identified strongly with the action genre, Sunny likes doing comedy. "I do it whenever I can. I enjoy doing comedy, though I can never dream of possessing my father's sense of comic timing."

He is also a shy father. Sunny's son Karan is all set to be launched in a film titled ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’. The title is taken from an immortal melody in Dharmendra's film ‘Blackmail’.

Sunny is reluctant to talk about his son's launch. "Let it first be made. Right now it's too early." "But yes, like all fathers I want the very best for my son. This is why I decided to direct the film myself. I am in no hurry to complete it. We've not decided on a release date. We will release the film whenever we feel the film is ready."

Why do we see so little of Sunny on screen? "It's not as if I am unwilling to do films at this stage of my career. I can't answer why I am not being seen more often." He laments the paucity of movie theatres in India.

"We have graduated from single theatres to multiplexes. But we still don't have enough theatres for all films. The smaller films don't even get noticed properly, no matter how deserving they are of attention. Hopefully, 'Poster Boys' will get good theatres and timing." "I may not be ruling the box office. But I am loved by the audience. All of us Deols are loved. We couldn't ask for more."

By Subhash K. Jha