Bollywood star Sunny Deol on Sunday said every man wants to watch a superhero on screen and his character Tara Singh from the upcoming film Gadar 2 is no less than Hulk or Superman.
In Gadar 2, the actor reprises his role of Tara Singh from his 2001 blockbuster hit Gadar: Ek Prem Katha. Filmmaker Anil Sharma, who also helmed the original, has directed the follow-up which will hit the screens on August 11.
"Tara Singh is our Hulk, Superman. Every man wants to watch Hulk and Superman. He believes that (the hero) on screen will set things right. Like there are Marvel Comics, here is Tara Singh. You don't draw these powers from working out. These are emotional powers," Deol said during a session on the last day of the 2023 Jagran Film Festival here.
Citing the example of the famous "Hindustan Zindabad" sequence from Gadar, the actor said when a character is faced with a difficult choice, "God" comes on screen to show the way.
"Then, you move ahead. That is the superpower of honesty, earnestness, and simplicity. That's what superheroes are all about," he added.
Deol, who completed 40 years in cinema on Saturday, said he doesn't believe in preparing for a role as acting is an art.
"It is in your genes or you have it. You can enhance it through technique but you can't become an actor by doing bodybuilding or dancing. Every person has all kinds of emotions. As actors, we are blessed when a character comes to us, so we are able to present those emotions outside. That's when it feels real," said the 66-year-old, who made his debut with 1983's Betaab.
Sharma said they took time to zero in on the script of Gadar 2 as they wanted to maintain the "piousness" of the first film. Also starring Ameesha Patel and Utkarsh Sharma, the sequel is set in 1971 about 17 years after the events of "Gadar".
Times may have changed but what has remained the same are the people and the emotions they feel for the family, he said.
"You have to tackle stories according to the times we are living in, but Gadar 2 is set in 1971. So, its characters also come from that time. The first film ended in 1954. The world hadn't changed a lot between 1954 and 1971. So, the characterisation remained more or less the same.
The actress defended her claim that acting demands more than desk jobs in a recent interview.
She said office workers can "chill out" during work hours, unlike film stars.
Fans and working professionals called her comments privileged and out of touch.
The backlash started after her appearance on Amazon Prime's Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle.
Critics pointed out the financial gap and support systems actors have compared to regular employees.
Kajol probably didn't expect this reaction when she sat down with Twinkle Khanna on Two Much. But her comments about actors working harder than people with 9-to-5 jobs have blown up, and not in a good way.
Fans slam Kajol after she says actors work harder than regular employees sparking online outrage Getty Images
The comments that started it all
Kajol was speaking out about her earlier comments on Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle on Amazon Prime, where she said actors work harder than most people. This time she was explaining why she thinks that.
She told The Hollywood Reporter India that her days are full of shoots, events, and very early flights. One day involved waking at 5 AM to catch a flight to Jaipur for a 3 PM event.
But it was her take on regular jobs that got people talking. She claimed desk workers don't need to be "100% present" and can take breaks, "chill out," and relax while working. She kept coming back to the unending scrutiny actors face like the feeling of always being watched or something as simple as how you cross your legs or who's snapping a picture in the background becomes a constant calculation. You have to be switched on, she insisted, all the time.
The internet, frankly, was having none of it. YouTube and Reddit exploded with responses. "For the kind of remuneration actors are paid, they shouldn't have a problem working 12 hours a day for 4 days a week," one user wrote. Another pointed out that films typically take 3-4 months to shoot, while regular jobs run year-round.
The responses got more pointed. "Vanity mein naps or massages bhi toh hum lete hain," a Reddit user commented, referencing the comfort of vanity vans. Someone else joked: "If you work poorly, you get fired. If you act poorly, you get a Filmfare award."
The bluntest response yet? "Respectfully, Kajol, shut up."
Nobody denies acting is demanding. Long hours, public pressure, and constant judgement are very real. But comparing it to regular employment ignores some major differences.
Most people work 12 months a year with two weeks' holiday if they're lucky. They don't have spot boys fetching drinks or vanity vans for rest breaks. One netizen nailed it: "A working parent's schedule is continuous, every single day, with no wrap-up party or off-season."
Online erupts as Kajol defends claim that acting demands more than everyday 9-to-5 workGetty Images
There's also the money. While her fee for a single film is probably more than most people earn in a year, she says that doesn’t make the work easy. Still, it does provide a comfort that regular employees don’t have. Kajol has not yet replied to the backlash.
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