BRIEF ENCOUNTER

I FIND LOVE STORIES BORING
After the average success of Barsaat, dismal failure of Aur Pyar Ho Gaya and the thumping success of Gupt people feel that Bobby Deol is more suited for action roles rather than love stories... What does Bobby think?
I don’t think so. I feel that if a film is well-made and well-publicised, it will succeed. Since Barsaat and Aur Pyar Ho Gaya were not successful and Gupt did well, people are saying that I am more suited for action roles.

What kind of roles does he like then? Action or romantic?
Well, I would like to do all kinds of roles. I don’t want to be stuck up with any kind of image, because in the long run it harms an actor. For instance I feel Zor was a fairly well-made film. But in this film bhaiya (Sunny) did not have a fight in the climax, and I think it went against the film. Since his films have a fair dose of action, people have begun to expect action in the climax of each of his films.

Where my personal choice is concerned, I don’t like love stories. I find them boring because often the story is the same with a few changes here and there and you end up doing the same kind of roles. It is ok to start your career with a love story. But later one should try different roles.

How different are his roles in future projects?
Very different. Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s film Kareeb is a love story, Abbas-Mustan’s Soldier is a fast-paced thriller. London is a love triangle in which my role is very different from the kind of roles I have done so far. And all these films will be released this year.

How about a negative role?
Of course, I would not shy away from doing a negative role. But it should be justified. And before accepting such a role I would like to be sure about the director and the way he has conceived the role.

How was his experience working with his brother
Sunny as director of London?
It is very good. Right from the beginning Bhaiya was interested in direction and now I am happy that he is finally wielding the megaphone. I am very relaxed working under him. I can take a lot of liberties with him which I cannot take with other directors. He is a very good director. In fact, he is the best.

Is it true that he has mentally decided to do only two films every year?
Who told you this? No, I have not taken any such decision. But yes, I will see to it that I never do more than four films a year.

Suddenly a number of starsons are being launched in a big way. Is the competition getting tough?
So what if a number of newcomers are being launched. It is not a new phenomenon. This trend had started way back in the eighties. Healthy competition is always welcome in any field. What I know for sure is that if I am good in my work, I am going to succeed even if I was not a starson. If an actor is not good in his work, he will never succeed even if he happens to be a starson.