Compliments boost your self-esteem and you feel energised

Portraying the role of a gritty and brooding cop in Class of ‘83 has brought Bobby Deol back into the game, and the actor admits he only wants to experiment with the kind of roles he takes up, and this one is a far cry from whatever he has done till date.

“That was the challenging part. I’ve played a cop earlier also — in Kranti and Chor Machaye Shor (both 2002) — and they were larger-than-life characters. But this one was very real — the journey of an honest cop (Vijay Singh), who sacrifices his family life, and the turmoil he went through fighting this system. That was very exciting to play,” he says.

Given that Deol shouldered the entire project, which also marks his comeback as the lead after multi-starrers Race 3 (2018) and Housefull 4 (2019), makes it even more special. He tells us, “It was a characterdriven film, and that’s what I was looking for. It’s amazing that OTT platforms are giving actors such opportunities. For me, Race 3 boosted my career, and people noticed me — I’ll always be grateful to Salman (Khan, actor) for taking me in that film. Then Housefull 4 took my career forward. At the end of the day, one is always looking for a role that gets you noticed as an actor. It’s been 25 years for me in the industry and in the next 25, I want to play interesting characters.”

Deol has been getting rave reviews for his act in the recently released Netflix film. Ask him the best compliment he has received so far, and he laughs saying each one of them means a lot. “They’re such a boost to your self-esteem, and make you feel energised. I’ve been trying to do work which will get appreciated, and help me move further. I put faith in all my fans... that makes producers and directors notice me. I’m excited people have praised my work,” he gushes.

However, he’s quick to add that getting a call from the film’s producer, actor Shah Rukh Khan, was an icing on the cake. “From someone like him, who has achieved so much in life as an actor, it’s so nice to hear that. My brother (Sunny Deol) was so happy. Obviously, he’s family, but even then there was a glow in his eyes, seeing me excel as an actor. My sister couldn’t see Bobby, but only the character. That’s something you always wish as an actor,” Deol ends.

PHOTO: HTBS Actor Bobby Deol has made his web debut with Class of ‘83