Karan Deol: As an actor, you are a brand today, you sell yourself like a commodity

Actor Karan Deol says things have changed a lot from the times when his grandfather Dharmendra and father Sunny Deol started off in films.

Karan Deol is only one film old as an actor, but his entire family has been in the business for decades. Hence, he knows how much has changed in the industry over the years. For starters, he feels, today, actors are more than just their profession.

Actor Karan Deol made his Bollywood debut with Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas.

“Dad’s (Sunny Deol) and dada’s (Dharmendra) time was completely different. Now there are a lot of other factors. As an actor, you are a brand. You are selling yourself like a commodity out there, promoting yourself on social media. Back during those times, social media was not big, there were different ways to connect with your fans,” says the 30-year-old, adding that you have to stay “relevant” with today’s generation.

While he is getting used to being active on social media, the one aspect which he still can’t wrap his head around, is film promotions. “I need get a little better at it, and get a hang of it,” quips the actor, who made his debut with Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas in 2019.

Point out how he is not ‘spotted’ like other actors, nor seen at any parties, and Deol would like to believe he’s different from others.

“You have to be who you are, and not someone you are not. I do not do those things which would make me uncomfortable or do not suit me. You have to let your personality show it’s honest side, you can’t lie about yourself,” says the actor, currently prepping for his next, a sequel to Apne (2007).

He shares that the best career advice he has received is from his grandfather. “He says that at his age, he is still learning. He tells me to look around me, absorb everything. You never know, what you can learn one day or some interesting character can catch your eye which you can implement later. In our lives too, we are stuck, and stopped seeing around us,” he concludes.