Actor Randeep Hooda, currently sharing the screen with Sunny Deol in the film ‘Jaat,’ expressed his admiration for the veteran actor, whom he has revered since childhood. In a heartfelt interview, Randeep revealed how working alongside Sunny Deol has been a significant and nostalgic experience, particularly recalling his early days watching Sunny’s iconic films.
Hooda explained, “Watching his films on screen is a different thing. Meeting him in person is a totally different scenario.” Randeep has long been captivated by Sunny’s cinematic persona, renowned for intense and action-filled roles. However, he found Sunny’s real-life demeanor refreshingly calm and different from his on-screen characters, describing it as “a pleasant surprise and also an eye-opener for how you should be in real life.”
Sharing his thoughts about Sunny’s influential career, Randeep noted, “His dialogues, his action, and the stories he’s picked in the past have resonated with all of us. I confessed to him that this is what I’m feeling being here with you. But he made me feel comfortable right from the beginning and told me, ‘I’m playing this character, you’re playing that character, let’s now play the game.'”
Randeep observed Sunny’s professionalism on set, particularly his ability to seamlessly switch between his character and real life, remarking, “It was something to learn from. I hope I’m able to emulate that in the future.”
Reminiscing about his favorite childhood memory of watching Sunny Deol on screen, Randeep warmly recounted the 1983 romantic drama Betaab. “It was a love story that hit hard at that age. The line ‘Hum jab jawaan honge toh na jaane kahan honge’ stayed with us,” he said with a nostalgic smile. The romantic themes moved him, while Sunny’s later action roles resonated powerfully with North Indian boys like himself, “Sunny Deol was the quintessential action hero we all aspired to be.”
Viineet Kumar Singh, another co-star in ‘Jaat,’ shared similar admiration for Sunny Deol, emphasizing the contrast between his on-screen image and his actual personality. “He is completely different from the screen image in real life. Very sweetly conversational. There are lots of things to learn. I have learned a lot just by watching him,” Viineet reflected.
Viineet recounted a humorous memory involving the film Darr, where Sunny starred alongside Shah Rukh Khan. He laughingly referred to a particular impression from the film, remarking, “For me, it was like ‘Kaka Kaka Kero Kero Mama Kero Mama’,” highlighting how these powerful characters were etched in his imagination.
Such experiences on the set of ‘Jaat’ have not only fostered professional learning for Randeep Hooda but also reinforced his respect for Sunny Deol, an actor who continues to inspire him both on and off the screen. As Randeep looks ahead, the lessons learned and values shared with his childhood idol promise to leave a lasting impact on his own journey and creativity in the film industry.
