Sunny Deol turns to South Cinema, urges Bollywood to learn

Sunny Deol is set to unleash his iconic action-packed energy in his upcoming film Jaat, directed by South filmmaker Gopichand Malineni. The movie marks Deol’s debut venture in Bollywood’s South industry, and at the trailer launch event in Mumbai, the veteran actor boldly stated his intention to explore more South Indian films, while encouraging Bollywood producers to learn from the Southern cinema's approach.

Speaking at the event, Sunny declared, “Yeh dhai kilo ke haath ki taakat poora North dekh chuka hai. Ab South dekhega (North India has seen the power of this hand, now it’s the turn of the South).”

Jaat is being produced by prominent South producers known for backing high-profile films such as Pushpa 2 starring Allu Arjun. Following the success of Gadar 2 in 2023, Sunny is excited to expand his horizons and reflect on his experience working with the Jaat team. He praised the storytelling approach of South Indian cinema, saying, “I wish Bollywood producers would learn something from South producers. Make it Hindi cinema first, and then learn how to make cinema. The script is the hero there. I had so much fun that I’m already asking them to make another film with me. Kya pata wahin ja ke bas jau main (what if I just go and settle there),” he joked.

Gopichand Malineni, who grew up watching Sunny’s action-packed movies, shared his admiration for the actor’s earlier works such as Ghatak, Ziddi, and Damini—with Damini being his favorite. “I want to reintroduce the Sunny Deol of ‘Damini’ to the audience,” he added.

In a heartfelt message, Sunny also spoke about the need for Indian filmmakers to stay connected to the country's cinematic roots. He noted the influence of foreign cinema and how people have forgotten what is happening within India. He encouraged filmmakers to create films like Ghatak, Damini, and Arjun that reflect the essence of Indian culture and cinema.