‘Hero’Gets Hot!
      Sunny Deol is hot.
In more ways than one. Not only under the collar (at all the injustice in the world, the industry and the way people function, generally); but sizzling at the marquee too. Revelling in post ‘Gadar’ glory. And now he’s set to repeat the ‘massive attack’. With the director of ‘Gadar’, Anil Sharma, directing him again in ‘The Hero – Love Story Of A Spy’; a movie that is being touted at the most expensive Indian movie ever made. On a budget stated to be a staggering rupees 60 crores (beating ‘Devdas’’ 50 crores), will this hero save the film industry?
Going by advance promos and by Sunny’s ‘hot’ status at the local box office.
We spoke to the shy Sunny, and he offered some insights…  

Overseas it may be a different ball game altogether, but back in the distributors are unanimous – that only Sunny Deol is No.1. Your comment?
Sunny:“Now what can I say to that? It’s good to enjoy the confidence of our distributors and our people. Because, after all, our people are our people. And those who’ve gone overseas are those who preferred to set roots there. Which is why I would always want to enjoy the love and support of the people here and then hope to be as popular abroad as well. The more the merrier.”
No wonder you are now actively looking at flexing your overseas muscles as well. You latest film, ‘The Hero’, seems to be a step ‘in that direction’ - with new look, hep goggles, French beard, et al.
Sunny:“Yes, we are hoping that it should excite the world audiences too, because normally overseas, the romantic actors fare better. And of late there has been more of a focus overseas to see what kind of an initial a movie can bring in over there. Then the initial translates out here. So, in general the market abroad adds on to the local market. This film is a family film story-wise, and it is not purely a hard-core action film. So it has the family-appeal, which is what works overseas. They want fashion,they’ve got fashion in it. They want glamour; they’ve got glamour in it. They want songs and dance, and they’ve got songs and dance in it. So that’s what they go for….huh??? They want very very rich looks and that’s necessarily what goes with the character. They are basically the slightly above-average Indians,monetarily, and they want to see hep costumes and get inspired by India. Well,they got it all in ‘The Hero’.”
And who has worked on your slick look?
Sunny:“Simple has worked on my look. She did it for ‘Gadar’ also. And here, except for Preity’s costumes, she’s worked on the entire look.”
A touch of James Bond perhaps? Shaken and not stirred?
Sunny:“Not really. It is like a Bond film but it is not really a Bond copy. I mean, Bond movies are spy films full of gimmicks. Our film is not a remixed version of Bond where there is just a lot of action happening. ‘The Hero’ is basically a love story in the spy genre. The whole story is based on a romance.”

What has it been like working with Preity Zinta? Especially considering that she has become an even greater fan of yours after you saved her life on the sets of ‘The Hero…’?
Sunny:”The one thing about Preity is that with her around, you can never get bored – unless she wants you to. That’s because she does all the talking all the time. She is very sweet and so absolutely full of life. It’s a pleasure having her around. And is she a fan of mine? Well, I’m aware of it now.” 
“Usually in big budget movies, the money is spent on the stars, the travel etc. But here, for a change, the money has actually been spent on the film. So we have all the gloss, all the grandeur, along with the strong story.”
Post the phenomenal success of ‘Gadar’, with you and Anil Sharma, don’t you think the expectations from ‘The Hero…’ – with the same combo – will be sky high?
Sunny:“Before the world saw it, ‘Gadar’ was just a film on release. It became the blockbuster ‘Gadar’ that we refer to today, only post release. And maybe unfortunately, the same people are coming together in ‘The Hero’; so obviously it has high expectations. But ‘The Hero’ can only become a blockbuster ‘Hero’ and not a ‘Gadar’. And that too only after we see the kind of reaction it gets. I am very positive about it, but we can only wait.”
So with your release around the corner, aren’t you hoping Aamir Khan had a release too? Considering you two have been so lucky for each other.
Sunny:“Yes, really! I don’t know why Aamir has not done a film for so long! Where is he?”
One special thing about ‘The Hero…’ that people should watch out for?
Sunny:“There is nothing specific to watch out for. It’s the entire film, which is a treat to watch. A huge amount of money has been spent on locations, the treatment, the scenes and stunts, etc. Usually in big budget movies, the money is spent on the stars, the travel etc. But here, for a change, the money has actually been spent on the film. So we have all the gloss, all the grandeur, along with the strong story. So to me its blend of everything terrific. Now we have to see what we believe in. And we want the people to also feel what we have felt when the first show opens.”

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