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Dharmendra and Sunny Deol have always been a beloved father-son pair, but here’s what Dharmendra did once the dubbing for Betaab was completed.
Sunny Deol made his acting debut in 1983 with the film Betaab. (Photo Credit: X)
Carrying forward the legacy of a legendary actor is never easy, especially when that legend is Dharmendra. But his son, Sunny Deol, has carved out his own identity over the decades, from his debut in Betaab (1983) to his blockbuster success in Gadar 2. While Sunny has often spoken about how his father’s wisdom guided him, Dharmendra once revealed that he wasn’t entirely pleased with his son’s early work and even made him redo the entire dubbing for his first film.
During an appearance on The RKB Show, veteran actor Dharmendra opened up about watching the trial of Sunny’s debut film Betaab and being disappointed with the dubbing quality.
He recalled,“I saw the trial show of his first film Betaab and dubbing was completed. After seeing the trial show, I got so angry. I came home and I asked ‘Kahan hai Sunny sahib? Nikalo use (Where is Sunny? Bring him out).’ I took him along with me, and I made him redo the whole dubbing. He used to get very tired.”
Dharmendra explained that he understood the struggle because he had faced similar challenges during his own early days in cinema. “I remember my first dubbing. I had torn my shirt because I was like, ‘Why do I have to do this dubbing after acting in front of the camera?’ In dubbing, all those emotions don’t come forth. It is difficult, but until and unless you put soul into it… if you don’t put soul in dubbing, then there is nothing.”
Late-Night Dubbing Sessions and a Father’s Watchful Eye
The veteran actor shared that he often stayed with Sunny until late at night during dubbing sessions for Betaab. He said, “I used to stay with him till 11pm–12am at night during Betaab dubbing sessions. Sometimes, when I would pretend to leave for home, I would be hiding and watching Sunny. I could hear him tell the technician, ‘Kal karenge.’”
Dharmendra Admits He Slapped Sunny Once as a Child
When asked how he felt about being made to redo the dubbing, Sunny Deol laughed and said, “It was like going to school and the headmaster sitting there.”
Dharmendra quickly defended his approach, adding that he had always been gentle with his son. However, he did reveal one instance from Sunny’s childhood when he lost his temper. “I treated him very nicely but my father, even when Sunny was small, had slapped me.
Once I had slapped Sunny. He was small at that time and I had gotten him a shotgun, and he had broken all the windows of the neighbour’s house. That was the only time I slapped him, but I kept calling back at home to ask how he is after going to the studio.”
Sunny remembered the moment vividly and added, “At the time when Papa hit me, I had two fingers imprinted on my face.”
Sunny Deol’s Daredevil Spirit on Film Sets
Despite his father’s protective nature, Sunny Deol became known for his daring stunts and action-packed roles. Having suffered a serious back injury during college in England, Sunny was advised to be cautious. But his adventurous spirit often got the better of him.
When asked if Dharmendra ever stopped Sunny from performing dangerous scenes, he replied, “We get to know about his stunts only after watching the films. Only then we know he has jumped from a height or done bungee jumping.”
Director Anil Sharma Recalls Sunny’s Risky Stunt
Filmmaker Anil Sharma, who directed Sunny in Gadar and Gadar 2, revealed one particularly risky incident during the filming of Hero. “In the film Hero, he had to jump from 11,000 feet and he was ready to do it, but I was not sure. I was very tense, but he told me not to tell Dharmendra ji about the stunt. He said, ‘Papa ko yeh baat pata nahin chalna chahiye (Dad can’t know about this).’”
Dharmendra humorously responded, “Sometimes in Jatt people, guts work more than their brains.”
Sunny Deol’s Passion for Performing His Own Stunts
Sunny revealed that he often replaced professional stuntmen in his films. He shared that during the filming of Betaab, around six to seven stuntmen had to be changed, as he ended up performing the stunts himself. Being athletic and sporty, he found the action sequences manageable, while others struggled. He added that he even jumped from rooftops without any safety boxes for support, which eventually caused serious damage to his back.
Kashvi Raj Singh is a Sub Editor at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in long-…Read More
Kashvi Raj Singh is a Sub Editor at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in long-… Read More
October 18, 2025, 18:53 IST
