Sunny Deol, who has reprised his role as Tara Singh in the sequel to the 2001 blockbuster Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, has responded to the criticism that the film is anti-Pakistan and promotes hatred. Sequel has become one of the biggest blockbusters in history of Indian cinema at domestic box office.
Sunny Deol Defends Gadar 2
Gadar 2, which is set in the backdrop of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, follows Tara Singh as he returns to Pakistan to rescue his son Charanjeet, who is imprisoned and tortured by a Pakistani general. The film has been accused of portraying Pakistan in a negative light and glorifying violence and jingoism.
In conversation with BBC Asian Network, Sunny was asked about how the film has been considered ‘anti-Pakistani’, to which the actor said not to take the film too seriously, and called the claims a ‘political thing.’
The actor said that both countries have “hatred among one another” since the partition. “I think people in both countries are like let it all go, we are normal humans on both sides,” he said in Punjabi.
“See, it’s basically a political thing mostly. It’s not actually the people, genuine people, because at end of the day, it’s all humanity there. Whether it’s here or there (Pakistan), everyone’s together. And even you’ll see that throughout the film (Gadar 2), I never run anybody down, because I don’t believe in running people down or anything and Tara Singh (his character in Gadar 2) is not that kind of a person, not that kind of character. And I believe in such cinema,” he added.
“But we need to look at cinema, it’s not trying to affect this side or that side. That’s not what we are. We are global, we are for everyone. It’s only when it’s read and spoken by a certain sectors of people, then that thoughts come in time. Majority don’t do that, it’s a handful of people. That’s when the wave comes,” he added.
Sunny Deol On Religious Imagery Around Gadar 2 Villain
When asked about the religious imagery around the villain of Gadar 2 when the current climate has been very disturbing, he said, “Don’t take these films so seriously. There’s so much rubbish happening on digital and even news channels. Cinema comes for entertainment. It’s not coming from any other point of view. And then obviously, there’s an exaggeration in cinema because that’s how you want the characters to be. If they’re not exaggerated, you don’t enjoy it. Because if a person is bad, you want to say no, he is bad. If a person is good, you want to see the person good. And that’s a certain sector of cinema.”
About Anil Sharma’s Gadar 2
Gadar 2 released on 11 August 2023 and has broken many box office records but received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. The film has been praised for its action sequences and performances, but criticized for its unrealistic plot and dialogues. The film has also faced some controversies, such as being banned in Pakistan and facing legal issues over its title. However, the film has also been appreciated by some celebrities, such as Karan Johar, Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar.
