Sunny and Bobby are back in the spotlight with many offers coming their way. This after both confessed they went through a lull period of over a decade with no work coming their way
There are superstars, there are megastars — and then there’s Sunny Deol. At 67, he remains a genre unto himself, ringing in box-office gold with his recent action drama Jaat. The film, initially expected to be a modest performer, raked in nearly Rs 60 crore in its opening week, prompting the announcement of Jaat 2 with Deol reprising his lead role.
“He’s the biggest comeback in the history of Indian cinema,” says Joginder Tuteja, film critic. “Mr. Bachchan made a phenomenal return too, though largely in father-figure roles and with Kaun Banega Crorepati. But to return as a solo hero at 65 with Gadar 2 (2023), and now Jaat, especially when films are struggling to draw crowds, is nothing short of extraordinary. Sunny Deol is pulling in `80-100 crore per film — solo. That’s rare.”
While stars like Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan have been consistently working through hits and misses, Deol’s on-again, off-again journey — one film every few years — makes this return even more impactful. Since Gadar 2, he has once again proven that he knows the pulse of the audience. His brand of cinema has always championed the common man — be it the disillusioned youth in Arjun, the upright cop in Ghayal, the maverick lawyer in Damini, or the patriotic everyman in Gadar. His screen persona — fighting against the odds — continues to resonate.
In a career spanning four decades, Deol’s recent hits prove he’s far from done. “There was a time when people wrote him off, saying his brand of cinema was outdated. But he’s proved them all wrong,” Wankhede adds. “When nothing else is working, he brings back conviction and belief to the screen.”
Bobby too on a roll
It’s not just Sunny. Younger brother Bobby Deol is also riding a career high. The actor has openly spoken about slipping into depression between 2014 and 2020 when the calls stopped coming. His comeback began with Class of ’83 (2020), but it was the OTT space that helped him reinvent himself.
“Bobby faced a tough period, but he stayed the course. He stood out in Love Hostel, Class of ’83, and truly turned heads with Aashram, playing a godman with a sinister streak. Animal further cemented his image —despite limited screen time, his menacing turn left a mark,” says Wankhede. Now he has projects in Tollywood industry too.
The Deols have never been a conventional film family. Low-profile, grounded, and unaffiliated with any major film camp, their story is one of quiet resilience. With upcoming projects like Border 2 and Housefull 5, Sunny and Bobby Deol are back — and this time, it’s for real.
