A Family Legacy and a Career Reinvention

At the 14th edition of the Rajnigandha Presents Jagran Film Festival, Bobby Deol opened up about his family, his journey in cinema, and the lasting influence of his father, veteran actor Dharmendra. The session, titled "Courage to Begin Again: Inside one of Indian Cinema's Most Remarkable Reinventions," saw Deol reflect on his career and the moments that have shaped his life in films, as reported by Bollywood Hungama.

Deol recalled that his journey in cinema began at a very young age when he played Dharmendra's younger version on screen. Years later, their professional connection came full circle when Deol lent his voice to his father in his final film, 'Ikkis', for scenes in which Dharmendra's character was shown younger. "You know the most amazing thing is that I'm so lucky that I started my career when I was 5-6 years old playing my dad's young self. And then my father's last film, Ikkis in some scenes he was shown to be young, so I dubbed for his voice. So for me, it's very special," he said.

Deol became emotional while remembering his father and spoke about how significant it was for Dharmendra to see both his sons achieve success after going through a challenging period in their respective careers. "I'm so glad that papa saw me and my brother succeeding in our lives. We were going through a very dull period in our careers. But we both succeeded in the same year. And papa saw that… That now you've recognized yourself as an actor," he recalled.

Breaking the Villain Mould

Beyond the family anecdotes, Deol also addressed the trajectory of his recent career, which has been marked by a series of antagonist roles. Speaking on the sidelines of the Jagran Film Festival in New Delhi, the 57-year-old actor said he has been flooded with villainous roles but has been making a conscious effort to break away from that image by taking on diverse projects, as reported by Deccan Chronicle and The Tribune.

Deol noted that it is quite natural for actors to get stereotyped after success in a particular character. "If an actor becomes successful in a particular kind of role, they keep getting similar roles. That's what happens in the industry. And I try really hard to break out of that," he said, according to multiple sources.

He cited his recent film 'Bandar' as an example of a role that was very different. The film, directed by Anurag Kashyap, saw him play an aging star accused of rape by his ex-girlfriend. It was released in theatres in June and received positive reviews from critics, as reported by Deccan Chronicle and The Tribune. The Times of India also highlighted 'Bandar' as an example of the kind of role Deol is drawn to, placing him in a markedly different space.

The Villain's Shade and the Road Ahead

Deol's other two projects of the year were 'Alpha', starring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari, and 'Jana Nayagan', in which he starred alongside Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. In both films, he played the antagonist. Despite the typecasting, Deol expressed enjoyment in playing villains with different shades. "Even within antagonist roles, there are different kinds of antagonists, with different shades. So I enjoy playing those," he said, as quoted by Deccan Chronicle and The Tribune.

The Times of India contextualized Deol's villainous turn, noting that Prakash Jha's 'Aashram' proved to be the turning point in his career revival, casting him as Baba Nirala, a godman whose spiritual image concealed something darker. This was a sharp break from the romantic, action-hero roles that had defined him through the 90s and 2000s. His next big moment came with Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 'Animal' in 2023, where he played Abrar Haque opposite Ranbir Kapoor. Despite limited screen time, his performance became one of the film's most talked-about aspects. He has since taken up antagonist roles in 'Kanguva', 'Daaku Maharaaj', 'Hari Hara Veera Mallu', 'Alpha', and 'Jana Nayagan'.

Looking ahead, Deol said he is going to do a few web series that will be different. His next project is the Prime Video series 'Teen Kauwe', a spy drama currently in production, also starring Sidhant Gupta, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Pavail Gulati, as reported by Deccan Chronicle, The Tribune, and The Times of India.

Comedy: A Genre He'd Rather Avoid

When asked about genres he would be uncomfortable exploring, Deol admitted he doesn't "understand over-the-top comedy, slapstick comedy so much." "I feel very uncomfortable doing that. And those kinds of movies, they have to be written really well. So that's a big chance you take when you do something like that," he added, according to Deccan Chronicle and The Tribune.

The 2026 edition of the Jagran Film Festival will come to an end on August 22, as noted by The Tribune.