Ameesha Patel was told not to do Gadar opposite much older Sunny Deol, says 'audience not accepting films' with age gap

Ameesha Patel was 26 when she shot Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, which starred a then 43-year-old Sunny Deol opposite her.

Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel-starrer Gadar: Ek Prem Katha recently turned 25. In a recent interaction, Ameesha spoke about the significance of the film and also opened up about how she raised questions about the age gap between her and Sunny Deol. Ameesha was 26 when she shot for Gadar, while Sunny Deol was 43.

Ameesha Patel and Sunny Deol in a still from Gadar.

'Advised not to do film opposite Sunny Deol'

Speaking to India Today, Ameesha, who was a newcomer at the time, admitted that she had concerns about whether the casting in Gadar was age-appropriate. She shared that many people advised her against starring opposite an older Sunny Deol in the film.

"I was given a lot of advice not to do the film because, on paper, it didn't tick any of the boxes. Sunny was a superstar, but much older than me. People questioned how I could be paired opposite someone so much older," she said.

Ameesha shared that she needed the story to be convincing in order to justify the age-gap romance in the film, and the relationship between Tara Singh and Sakina worked because the age difference was integral to the narrative. She further explained that Sunny's character, Tara, was already a working man who had fallen in love with a girl while she was still studying at a convent school.

She said, “Age gaps are absolutely fine if the story needs them and justifies them. It needs to be questioned when stories don't demand an age gap, yet one is inserted. That's one of the reasons audiences aren't accepting certain films today, to be very honest.”

Ameesha also spoke about the inter-religious romance in the film, as her character is a Muslim girl who falls in love with Sunny Deol's Tara Singh. She described Gadar as a "deep love story," saying the film showed that Hindus and Muslims can coexist. Ameesha also expressed her belief that cross-border rivalry and hatred are often politically driven, while people on both sides have historically shared deep human connections.

About Gadar: Ek Prem Katha

Gadar follows the story of Tara Singh, a Sikh truck driver who falls in love with and marries Sakina, a Muslim woman during the Partition. He later faces separation and political upheaval when she is taken to Pakistan by her family. The film emerged as a major commercial success. It earned approximately ₹133 crore worldwide during its theatrical run, while its 2023 sequel, Gadar 2, went on to collect a massive ₹691.08 crore globally.