Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas actor Karan Deol: Sunny Deol is a strict director

You did not wish to debut with an out-and-out action film?

I didn’t have anything specific in my mind. When papa got down to the scripting of Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas after Ghayal Once Again’s release (2016), we did not think of any specific genre. We just thought of two characters which evolved and became what we are seeing in promos and trailers today. In the film, my character is from Himachal while Sahher plays a Delhi girl. And I guess, just by brainstorming, Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas was born.

Is Sunny Deol a strict father or a strict director? 

A strict director for sure but I guess he had to be that way because once the film is out, he has no control over it. So as a director, he knew what he wanted from us. Sometimes we wouldn’t get an emotion right. So, he would make sure to explain it to us, which made us perform better. But he would not leave you until you get the scene according to his vision. So until he is not done, no matter how many retakes it takes, he would not let us go.

Was it a blessing to have him on the sets?

Obviously, it was indeed a blessing.

Growing up, was it confusing for you to see your father as an angry man on-screen and a humble human being off-screen?

To me, he is and was always my father. There weren’t two different personas to him. I always looked at him as a father, not as an actor because when you see him every day at home, he is like anybody else.

We saw your camaraderie with Dharmendra ji during the trailer launch. What kind of bond do you share with him?

It is just regular like any grandson and grandfather. He is very loving towards me. Every time he posts something about me nowadays, I wake up and feel motivated. He is pushing me and giving me love that makes me feel strong from inside.

What was his reaction to your film?

It was a very touching moment for me. He said, “You have done a great job and I didn’t know that this was there inside you. You were like a shy kid to me but you have turned out to be something else.” He said he loves me and that this is just a beginning for me. He said he sees me doing greater things from here.

A candid moment from Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas trailer launch. (Photo: APH Images)

Any film of your father and your grandfather that you would want to remake?

If it is done properly and not just for the sake of it. If it is done with complete honesty, full heart and soul, I would say Arjun. When it comes to my grandfather, it has to be Chupke Chupke.

Do you think the audience will connect with Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas? 

It is an innocent love story. Hopefully, the audience connects to the film and gets reminded of their first love.