By
Tanveer Zaidi (Actor-Author-Educationist)
Bobby Deol is an actor known for his rugged good looks, versatile roles, and ability to adapt to changing industry trends.
Bobby Deol tasted stardom very early in his career, but then his stardom started fading and finally, he was written off with no film in his kitty, in his worst days he tried his luck as a musician by being a DJ, but here again,n he had to struggle, Once, in Delhi after his performance as a DJ, audiences turned out with complaint of a bad performance and they rudely asked the organizers to refund their money, Bobby Deol was humiliated, he was broken, he cried, people found him in tears sitting alone and looking up in the sky as he is complaining to God.
Almighty has some plans for him and then one Friday Animal got its screening and Bobby Deol was reborn. His performance in the blockbuster action-drama Animal was praised as powerful, enigmatic, and emotive. He received acclaim for his portrayal of the antagonist, Abrar, who is a family man with childhood trauma and the rest is history.
Recently, Bobby Deol was spotted at the event. When asked about the reception he got from the media and fans at the event, Bobby Deol humbly said, “It’s possible because of one man – Prakash ji. There was a time when I was looking for work and trying to change my image. But such opportunities were few and far between. Then one day, casting director Shruti Mahajan called me. She informed me that a web series named Aashram is being made and that Prakash Ji is its director. I was stunned as I was dying to work with him for a long time. He might not remember but I met him for the first time while I was dubbing for Gupt (1997) at B R Studios. After some years, he offered me a film lekin tab baat bani nahin.”
He continued, “I was very nervous when I went to his office as an actor, you always fear rejection. When he told me that he wanted me to play Baba, I was like ‘Did I hear it correctly or am I imagining it since I am eager to play this role?’ I asked him how I would essay the part since I have never played anything like this ever. He told me, ‘Tu bas believe kar ki tu Baba hai aur jab tu bolega, toh log tujhe sunenge’. He also instructed me not to see any videos of any Godman and to believe in myself.”
He also said that he had reservations about informing his parents and brother about the show. He said, “The subject of Aashram was such that if I would have told my parents or my brother (Sunny Deol), they would have asked me, ‘Aisa kyun kar raha hai tu?’. I only told my wife about it. She knew that I had not been getting interesting work. But she told me, ‘Do what your heart says. I am with you.”
Talking about his shooting experience, Bobby Deol said, “Our diction teacher, Sunita jJi spent two months with me. I used to rehearse daily for three hours. We shot in Ayodhya and stayed in a small hotel. That was the best part of the shoot. Our rooms were next to each other and we used to meet every evening. We became thick friends. That especially helped in my scenes with Chandan; the bond looked real.”
During the question-and-media round with journalists, Bobby Deol was asked how his family reacted when they saw Aashram’s first season. He began by saying, “There are times when parents tell you ‘Aisa role nahin karna’ and you have to adhere to it. But I knew I would not get the role of a hero and was looking out for some different parts. I also knew that the topic of this show was controversial. But it’s showing what’s happening in our country.”
He added, “I didn’t tell anyone about it. Then the kind of reaction it generated among my family members, I felt that I was dreaming. My mother told me that she was getting calls from her friends saying ‘Aapke bete ne itna accha kaam kiya hai. Humein toh bahut maza aa gaya’. My father also got a lot of calls and he said that he was very happy for me. Sunny’s friends called him and told him ‘Bobby se baat karao hamari’!”
Ek Badnaam Aashram Season 3 Part 2 was released on Amazon MX Player on February 27.
Bobby Deol had several hits, including Barsaat (1995), Gupt (1997), Soldier (1998), and Humraaz (2002). He’s also had a resurgence in his career with roles in Class of ’83 (2020), Aashram (2020), and Animal (2023).
Bobby Deol is known for their rugged good looks and their vulnerable screen presence won him fans instantly.
He has played a range of roles, including a man on the run in Gupt and a man on a mission to avenge his father’s death in Soldier.
Bobby Deol has adapted to changing industry trends, from film to streaming platforms.
Won the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for Barsaat (1995)
Nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor Award for Humraaz (2002)
Nominated for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for Animal (2023)
