Abhay Deol is known for his unique choice of roles in films like Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Ayesha, and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. He comes from the popular ‘Deol’ family in Bollywood and is the cousin of Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. Recently, the actor shared that his family’s outlook was conservative and this led him to maintain distance from kids in the industry.
In a candid interview with Filmfare, Abhay Deol shared that he grew up in a joint family with seven children. But, because of his father and uncle, he got to know about films and Bollywood from a young age.
But, since he came from a humble background, while working in films he always maintained a certain distance from the glamorous world and held close to his small-town values, which he found restrictive in his childhood. She also told that in her family, women were allowed to work, but not in films.
He said, “At that time, I didn’t understand why we were stopped from going to ‘film parties’, as they called them, or from mixing with the industry kids or the industry kids. They were trying to protect us. “But again, I was confused.”
Despite the limitations, the Ayesha actor had a rebellious nature, so her family was not surprised by her move into the film industry. He also mentioned that his cousin Sunny Deol had made fun of his argumentative behavior and felt that he was better off becoming a lawyer.
However, given his nature, he worked in films that often differed from mainstream cinema which worried his father and family.
Talking about this he said, “At the beginning of my career, they were worried about the films I chose. They made my first film ‘Socha Na Tha’ and they were okay with it, but later on about Manorama or similar films. They agreed.” Last Local of the Forty, they compromised on my choice with Dev D and Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, they didn’t want me to go that route because they were worried.”
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara shared that her family understood the potential challenges associated with working in unconventional films. As a result, he felt that his choice would leave him behind in the competitive Bollywood landscape.
Despite his concerns, Deol followed his instincts as an actor, managed to make his mark in the industry, and won appreciation for his performances. He was last seen on the big screen in 2022. After that, he appeared in the 2023 web series Trial by Fire and received positive feedback for his performance.
Also read: Abhay Deol admits he hasn’t defined his sexuality and continues to embrace all experiences: ‘We all have a masculinity and a femininity in us…’
