Bobby Deol on the viral 'Jamal Kudu' dance step from 'Animal' and finally getting his due as an actor

Be it marching as a soldier and standing in front of a train in the title song of Soldier, or balancing a glass on his head in Jamal Kudu, an Iranian track from Animal that’s become the talk of the town on social media, Bobby Deol has over the years always put his best step forward when it comes to dancing. While he may not be the best dancer on the dance floor, it is his confidence to do his best that makes him an actor we all love and one who seems to be delivering one power-packed performance after another over the past few years. 

And the actor takes this confidence to the ramp as well as he turned showstopper for Pernod Ricard who forayed into the Indian Single Malt category with the launch of Longitude 77. Rest assured, he’ll be putting his best foot forward here as well. 

The actor, in an exclusive interview with Cosmopolitan India, talks about his family reacting to the success of Animal, his introduction scene in the movie, his thoughts on fashion, and more. 

Cosmopolitan India: Your performance in your latest film Animal is widely appreciated. With all eyes on you, how does it feel being the showstopper at this event for Longitude 77 and what are you going to be wearing? 

Bobby Deol: I feel very blessed. God has been kind. Every actor dreams of such moments in their life where they’re appreciated for their hard work. It’s just been amazing as I’ve always believed in hard work more than luck. I keep saying the same to youngsters, who are still struggling, telling them to not give up, and stay positive and focused. That’s how I look at life these days. 

I’m delighted to be here as the showstopper for the launch of Longitude 77. It is amazing to see a single malt brand take pride in all that India stands for and offer a modern and luxurious taste of it. As far as fashion is concerned, I love clothes, period. I like Indian and Western, and try to experiment with all kinds of stuff. Today I’ll be wearing something designed by my friend Ashish Soni that’s a velvet bandhgala with black trousers. I like the colour, it’s called teal blue I think. I’m not very good with colours but it’s one of my favourite shades. 

CI: It’s been the year of the Deols with the three of you having exhibited great performances (Dharmendra in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Sunny Deol in Gadar 2). Take us through what 2023 has been for you.

BD: We live for each other. My brother’s happiness is my happiness. My father’s happiness is my happiness and vice-versa. For us, we just want to see each other happy. My dad and brother are legends who have done amazing work and entertained audiences all their lives. It’s been a wonderful year and it feels like we’re living a dream that’s magical. At the same time, we feel like, ‘Is this really happening?’

CI: How has your family reacted to the success of your film? 

BD: My dad hasn’t seen the film. My brother has. He loved it. He didn’t even have to say anything as I could see it in his eyes. He’s always believed in me as an actor and has always said in interviews that ‘My brother hasn’t got his due.’ Things just have to fall in the right place, and when they do things just change. 

CI: Could we see an Apne 2? 

BD: We’re working on the subject. It’s still not yet up to the mark. We want to give audiences something that they will enjoy watching. It’s a work in progress at the moment.  

CI: Tell us a bit about the preparation for the role in Animal, especially your workout routine.

BD: Mere andar Deol ka khoon hai bhai (I have the blood of a Deol). Hum log mard log hai, hamari body ban jaati hai (We are men and our bodies always look macho). Jokes aside, you have to work very hard for this. It’s not that easy. I’ve been in the gym for the last six years. It’s a slow process as you can’t have everything overnight. Two months before the shooting started, I increased my cardio to twice a day and weightlifting just once. It was 45 minutes to 1 hour of cardio in the morning followed by a 45-minute workout with cardio again in the evening. I went on a calorie-controlled diet where I was off carbs and I just ate a lot of greens and proteins. It was all to achieve something so special and beautiful. I knew that this was going to get me my results and that’s why I enjoyed it. You should try to keep yourself healthy and fit. My dad’s always told me right from the time I was a child that health is wealth.    

CI: How fast did you detach from playing such a challenging role? Does playing a negative character take a toll on you? 

BD: Absolutely. I don’t let it play on my mind. It’s just that moment in the day where you’re worked up about it because you’re performing and going through the emotions. You just feel it more during the day but you’re absolutely fine as the day goes on. 

CI: Your entry scene is now trending on Instagram with countless reels being made with it. Tell us about how you reacted to the narration of this scene.

BD: Vanga (director Sandeep Reddy Vanga) is a magician. He’s one of the best directors I’ve worked with. He had already visualised all that he wanted. I remember the day when he explained my character to me and how I was going to be introduced. You see Ranbir’s character giving up and feeling destroyed. Then the frame changes into my face and this man is smiling before he gets into dance on his wedding day. Whatever he described is what you saw on screen.

The song was something that he found from somewhere. Vanga has a great sense of music. The album has music from all over the country. When we were doing the scene, we didn’t have a choreographer. He just told me, "It’s your wedding scene, just dance." When I danced, he said, "I don’t want you to look like Bobby Deol." I said, "What do I do?". I asked my co-actor, Saurabh Sachdeva, who plays my brother. I saw his step and decided to imitate him. I realised that whenever I went to Punjab as a kid for a wedding, the men would get drunk, and put a glass on their head and dance. I tried doing that and that’s how it worked. I wasn’t drunk while doing it so I got it within a few takes. 

CI: How have the past few years taught you about success and failure? 

BD: I’ve been learning all my life. I think failure is the best lesson that you can learn. It teaches you the meaning of what you really want to achieve in life. OTT platforms were a blessing as they gave me the chance to play characters that were away from my image and out of my comfort zone. It’s a collective effort—right from Class of ‘83, Love Hostel and Animal—that people started to notice me as an actor. Ashram is one of the most-watched web series in recent times and I remember my brother telling me that Ashram is like a Gadar for me on the OTT space. But the magic of the silver screen is something else. When that works, it just changes your life. 

CI: One thing from the 90s that you wish actors had today, and one thing from today that you wish you had back in the 90s?

BD: I wish I was born in the early 1930s so I could have been an actor in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. I think that was a golden era of cinema as there were great directors, writers, and music. I wish I was acting at that time. 

CI: Be it the 90s, or 2023, Bobby Deol was and will be a fashion icon. What’s your personal style like and how have you always continued to be a trendsetter? 

BD: I don’t try to be one (a trendsetter). I just feel that I love clothes and I enjoy them. When you enjoy what you wear—it doesn’t have to be from a designer—and are comfortable in it, it starts looking like a trend automatically. I thank my wife as I’m very dependent on her for my fashion choices. 

CI: What's next for Bobby Deol?

BD: I can’t really name them, but I’m doing a web series along with a film in Tamil and Telugu.