Actors Sunny Deol, Randeep Hooda and Viineet Kumar Siingh — the star cast of Jaat — were in Delhi recently to meet the winners of the HT City Stars In The City contest. In a lively chat with Sonal Kalra, Chief Managing Editor, Entertainment & Lifestyle, Hindustan Times, the trio took on every question that came their way. And of course, with such macho stars in the room, a panja (arm wrestling) battle was inevitable!
Here's how the lively chat unfolded:
There’s so much action in Jaat. Does it come naturally to you at this point? Or do you roll your eyes when an action script is narrated to you?
Sunny: Scripts pasand aati hain, tabhi karta hoon films. In the kind of films I’ve done, [my] character is an underdog who comes up and wins and overcomes the situation. Chaalis saal se tag aisa lag gaya hai ki main [action] se nikal nahin paa raha hoon. But Jaat is a very entertaining film.
Who’s the real ’jaat’ in the film?
Randeep: I am a real-life Jaat, playing a Sri Lankan in the film, and that’s a joke on me (laughs). But it’s good for the movie. Kya yeh community ke baare mein hai? Kisi individual ke baare mein, ya yeh koi agent hai? Film dekh ke pata chal jaayega. The only true Jaat in the film, however, is Sunny Deol. Humare Haryana mein bolte hain, ‘Jaat ki full form hai, Justice, Action and Truth!’”
Viineet, what was it like working with two powerhouses like Sunny and Randeep?
{{/usCountry}}Randeep: I am a real-life Jaat, playing a Sri Lankan in the film, and that’s a joke on me (laughs). But it’s good for the movie. Kya yeh community ke baare mein hai? Kisi individual ke baare mein, ya yeh koi agent hai? Film dekh ke pata chal jaayega. The only true Jaat in the film, however, is Sunny Deol. Humare Haryana mein bolte hain, ‘Jaat ki full form hai, Justice, Action and Truth!’”
Viineet, what was it like working with two powerhouses like Sunny and Randeep?
{{/usCountry}}Viineet: I got a lot of love from these two secure actors. Bade ped ke neeche chhota ped khil nahin paata. But agar ped aisa ho, toh ped dam dama ke khilta hai!
Also read: Jaat box office collection day 3: Sunny Deol-starrer finally shows growth, crosses 25 crore
There’s a lot of talk about north vs south cinema. Having worked with Telugu director Gopichand Malineni on his first Hindi film, what’s your take?
Randeep: Filmmakers in the south make slick films. As far as North-South goes, language is the last form of communication in any human interaction.
Sunny: Unka poora cinema poore Bharat mein chal raha hai because everybody can relate to it. We are all enjoying, their producers go all out with the director and for the director.
Do you have any real-life memories that felt like a filmi, dramatic moment?
Randeep: My wedding took place in Manipur under heavy Army protection. There were more security personnel than civilians; as soon as the pheras finished, AK-47s went off in the air across the entire valley. Shaadi ho toh aisi ho!
Sunny, as your sons Karan and Rajveer set out in their careers, how will you support them while letting them carve their own paths?
Sunny: As a father, I will always support them, like my dad (actor Dharmendra) did. Karan is on his own journey; let’s see where he goes. Baaki, when you become a father, you realise that you will always have that ‘dhak dhak’ in your heart.