Bollywood star Sunny Deol is celebrating his 66th birthday on October 19, 2023. On this special day let’s take a look at his personal life and some of the best films of the actor.
Bollywood star Sunny Deol, elder son of veteran actor and legend Dharmendra turned 66 on Thursday. Sunny was born on October 19, 1956, in the village of Sahnewal in East Punjab. He was born as Ajay Singh Deol.
His father, legendary actor Dharmendra was one of the biggest performers of his era and the Dreamgirl Hema Malini is his stepmother. Having been born in a Punjabi Jat family and having a strong Bollywood connection, the actor went on to become a part of many successful Bollywood movies building a huge fanbase for himself.
Sunny Deol’s early life and career
Loved for his powerful dialogue delivery, the actor had carved a niche for himself as a prominent action star in the 1980s. With a strong will to carry forward the rich legacy of father, Dharmendra, Sunny made his silver screen debut with Betaab in 1983 opposite Amrita Singh. The movie was a success which was followed by several other hits in the 80s and the 90s.
In a career spanning over three decades, he has several hit movies to his name. His performances in Ghayal (1990), Paap Ki Duniya (1988), ChaalBaaz (1989), Tridev (1989), Arjun (1989), Ziddi (1997), Damini (1993) and Ghatak (1996) have earned him great recognition. Sunny is also a member of Parliament from the Gurdaspur constituency of Punjab.
The actor has also acted alongside his father Dharmendra and brother Bobby Deol in films like Apne (2007), Yamla Pagla Deewana (2011), Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 (2013), Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se (2018).
The actor is equally famous for his dialogues in his films, to list down a few, “Ye dhai kilo ka haath jab kisipe padhta haina, to aadmi uth-ta nahi uth jaata hai” from the movie Damini, “Ye mazdoor ka haath hai, loha pighlakar uska aakar badal deta hai” from the movie Ghatak. These iconic dialogues became more famous than the movies itself. These legendary dialogues defined Sunny’s image for playing righteous roles and fighting for the weak.
So on his special day let’s dive into 5 most iconic films of the Gadar actor.
Ghatak
The movie was released in 1996 and Sunny’s acting won the hearts of the audience. Sunny Deol’s portrayal of an angry man seeking vengeance defines the movie. The film is loaded with action and drama sequences. The film covered the dark effects of the underworld on society and the triumph of good over evil.
Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, the film also stars Meenakshi Seshadri, Amrish Puri, and Danny Denzonpa in pivotal roles. A lesser-known fact about the movie is that Kamal Haasan was approached for the lead role before the movie was offered to Sunny.
Ghayal
Ghayal (1990) marked the directorial debut of Rajkumar Santoshi. Dharmendra decided to produce the film through his banner Vijeta Films. Sunny Deol plays the role of a boxer named Ajay Mehra who is falsely framed for his brother’s murder. Meenakshi Seshadri played the female lead. Though Sunny had appeared in a number of films through the 80s but Ghayal swept him to success.
Border
Directed by J.P. Dutta, the film was released in the year 1997. The film is dedicated to the sacrifices of Indian soldiers during the 1971 war. It portrays the courage of the brave soldiers and their indomitable spirit that prevails even in the harshest hours.
The film stars Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff, and Akshaye Khanna in lead roles. The song ‘Sandese Aate Hai’ was from this movie. The movie was a patriotic masterpiece.
Gadar: Ek Prem Katha
Set during the partition of 1947, the movie is about a love story between Sunny Deol’s character Tara Singh (a truck driver from India), and Ameesha Patel’s character Sakina, a girl from Pakistan. The song ‘Mai Nikla Gaddi Leke’ is from this movie.
Directed by Anil Sharma, the film beautifully encapsulates the strength of love that transcends boundaries.
Gadar 2
This year has been a great success for Sunny Deol as he marked a powerful comeback as the angry action hero with his latest film Gadar 2. The film was a blockbuster and created a rampage at the box office earning around ₹600 crore worldwide. A sequel to the iconic Gadar, Sunny Deol reprises his role as Tara Singh with the story continuing from where they left in the first part.
Now after enjoying the success of the film, the actor has decided not to slow down and moved on to his next project. Sunny is all set to collaborate with Mr Perfectionist Aamir Khan for his next project. Sunny Deol will star in the lead role of this Aamir Khan Production and Rajkumar Santoshi will be directing the film. It will be exciting to see the reunion d Rajkumar Santoshi and Sunny Deol. The film is titled Lahore: 1947.
