Sunny Deol Reveals Dharmendra's Faith in Ghayal After Rejections

Mumbai: Sunny Deol is currently busy promoting his upcoming film Batwara 1947, but in a recent interview, the actor took a trip down memory lane to a time when his career hung in balance. He revealed how his father, the legendary Dharmendra, stood by him when no producer was willing to back Ghayal.

The 1990 action drama went on to become one of the biggest hits of Deol's career, winning him the National Film Award for Best Actor. But the road to that success was far from smooth.

Producers Turned Down Ghayal

Speaking during the promotional cycle for Batwara 1947, Sunny recalled that the script of Ghayal had been rejected by every major producer in the industry at the time. The film, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, was considered too risky a bet by many.

"Every producer said no," Sunny said, without naming the production houses that passed on the project. The actor did not elaborate on the reasons given by the producers, but the rejection left the team in a difficult spot.

Dharmendra's Unshakeable Faith

It was then that Dharmendra stepped in. The veteran actor, known for his own box-office instincts, decided to back the film without hesitation. Sunny credits this moment as a turning point, not just for Ghayal, but for his own journey in the industry.

"My father believed in the film when nobody else did," Sunny said. The patriarch's faith paid off handsomely. Ghayal emerged as a blockbuster, cementing Sunny Deol's position as one of Hindi cinema's most bankable action stars of the early 1990s.

On Controversy and Hatred

During the same interaction, Sunny also addressed the recurring question of controversy around his films. Asked about the charged political undertones often associated with his recent releases, the actor was firm in his response.

"We don't make films to create controversy," he said. "We don't make films to propagate hatred." The statement comes amid ongoing debates about the portrayal of historical events in mainstream cinema.

Sunny's latest project, Batwara 1947, is set against the backdrop of Partition. The film has already generated significant buzz, with the actor's fans eagerly awaiting its release. The subject matter, dealing with one of the most painful chapters in the subcontinent's history, has naturally drawn comparisons to his earlier work.

A Legacy of Tough Choices

The revelation about Ghayal offers a rare glimpse into the Deol family's internal dynamics. Dharmendra, who has acted in over 300 films, has often been described as a shrewd judge of scripts. His decision to back Ghayal when the industry had written it off speaks volumes about that instinct.

For Sunny, the memory serves as a reminder of the risks that defined his early career. "We made that film with conviction," he said, adding that the experience taught him to trust his own judgment, even when the system says otherwise.

As Batwara 1947 gears up for release, the actor seems to be in a reflective mood. The film, which also stars Ameesha Patel and Manoj Bajpayee, is expected to hit theatres later this year. Whether it will match the commercial success of Ghayal remains to be seen, but the promotional campaign has already drawn attention to Sunny's willingness to take on heavy subjects.

What remains to be watched is how audiences respond to Batwara 1947, and whether the film will reignite the kind of fervour that Ghayal did three decades ago.