Bobby Deol Kept Busy with Running, Drumming, and Bike Riding While Awaiting Debut: 'I Started Shooting at 22, Released at 26'
As Bobby Deol celebrates his 55th birthday, the success of Sandeep Reddy Vanga's "Animal" has added to the joy. While the actor has earned acclaim for various films, his debut in "Barsaat" holds a special place. The film, however, faced challenges in reaching the big screen, experiencing a tumultuous journey from inception to release. Bobby revealed that the initial director, Shekhar Kapur, abandoned the project after 27 days of shooting, leaving the film in limbo for four years.
Shekhar Kapur's departure resulted from an offer to direct "Bandit Queen," leading to changes in the script that left Bobby frustrated. The delay prompted his father, Dharmendra, to intervene and initiate discussions with Shekhar. At the Jagran Film Festival, Bobby shared, "I started shooting for the film very early, and Shekhar Kapur was the director. We shot for the film for 27 days. He then got an offer from Hollywood to make 'Bandit Queen.' Shekhar said, ‘I will do 'Bandit Queen' and come back to do 'Barsaat.'' But my father told him that he didn’t want to delay it. He told Shekhar, ‘You go do your film, I will find somebody else.’ And I think Rajkumar Santoshi was waiting to direct my film. I got lucky with him."
Despite the stroke of luck with a new director, the script underwent significant changes, leading to confusion and exhaustion for Bobby. The actor, who was 26 when the film finally released, faced a prolonged journey from the age of 22 when shooting began. The script alterations compelled Bobby to take up running, playing drums, bike riding, and other activities to adapt to evolving character requirements. Reflecting on the experience, he expressed, "It was frustrating."
"Barsaat," co-starring Twinkle Khanna, was shot in various national and international locations, including London, Manali, and Italy. Notably, one scene features Bobby fighting a tiger. Recounting the daring sequence, Bobby shared, "We shot it in Italy. We learned there was someone who had trained Siberian tigers. He had a small zoo of his own. I did the fight with the tiger there. They had just trimmed his nails. They would have a piece of meat close to my neck, so the tiger jumps on you and goes for the meat. I had to stop him with my hand. His paws were so heavy that when he would get tired, he would place his paws on me, and I would get pushed down."
Bobby's career encompasses diverse films like "Gupt: The Hidden Truth," "Soldier," "Dillagi," and "Ajnabi." Intriguingly, the actor now expresses interest in exploring South Indian film industries. His upcoming projects include Suriya's Tamil period film "Kanguva" and Telugu films "Hari Hara Veeru Mallu" and an untitled project with Nandamuri Balakrishna.