Fans believe I can beat up 100 people: Sunny

But this one is different, the promos arepromising, the Deols have been getting favourable reports from friends, fans andthe industry. Sunny unloaded some of his excitement onto me. “The audiencewill see us like never before,” he said, “the film is wholesomeentertainment, like a Manmohan Desai lost-and-found story, but our approach hasbeen more logical. It is a neat and clean film, a good package that ladies,children, grown-ups will enjoy, the story revolves around us nicely, there areno gags for the sake of gags, there’s action — my image of a man whocan beat up 100 people is there, but it’s not bloodlust, there’s novendetta and wanting to hurt, we’ve made fun of ourselves... Yamla PaglaDeewana has got it all.”He has reason to look forward to thefilm. Sunny has spent 27 years in Bollywood. But since 2004, it’s been astruggle for the proud and rugged Jat. “I don’t know why,” headmitted ruefully. “Things didn’t fall they way they ought tohave.” And he’s not had a release since Right Yaa Wrong in Marchlast year. This has to be his comeback vehicle. With Pa Dharmendra driving.Naturally, Sunny has reason enough to be charged. Father and son have acted inquite a few films before. Like Sultanat in 1986, in which Sunnyplayed an outlaw and accidentally struck Dharmendra on the knee with a swordduring a fight scene, drawing blood. And Savere Wali Gaadi, also from 1986,which was a small and forgetable film. Plus Kshatriya in 1993. Not forgettingApne. “Yes, we’ve done some films...” Sunny said. Theexperience of working with Dharmendra has always been the same for him.“It’s nice and easy, though I am his fan, I have always looked uptohim as the Man. On the sets, if he’s there when I’m giving a shot,he offers his comments.”It took the Deols one-and-half year toget a script that they all liked and even then, while Sunny was gung-ho,Dharmendra was reluctant. It took Samir Karnik, the film’s director, toconvince the veteran actor. Once Dharmendra was on, Bobby agreed. And they had afilm on hand, which is jointly produced by Samir (Top Angle Production) andNitin Manmohan (One Up Entertainment). The newness of the script, theircharacterisation, this is what Sunny believes will ring the box-office tillsnext week Friday. His fans, who have believed since his Damini days that whenSunny Deols hits somebody — he hits them, will be pleased by his own rolein Yamla Pagla Deewana. Shyly he admitted, “They like to seeme that way. I’m emotional, when I shout, people listen. And if Idon’t give that flavour in a film, fans are disappointed. But like I said,this has got it all.” His father Dharmendra had earlier told me,“This film is a blessing, it’s a big gift from God to all of us, andwe have packed it with a punch of emotion. Audiences will have tears in theireyes, my experience of 50 years tells me.” So be it, then. Bring it on,Deols... the fans are waiting. Check out Sunny Deol’s picsFollow us on Twitter for more stories