Sunny Deol reveals how he dealt with Rs 56 crore debt; says, ‘Even When I Was In Debt, I Was Very Happy’

Sunny Deol’s latest film, Batwara 1947, has seen a mixed run at the box office. The Rajkumar Santoshi-directed Partition drama opened with ₹5.75 crore in India and jumped to ₹13.50 crore on Saturday. It then collected ₹7.25 crore on Sunday, taking its domestic net total to ₹26.50 crore.

The film’s performance comes at a time when Sunny is again in the spotlight following the huge success of Gadar 2. Amid the release of Batwara 1947, the actor has also spoken honestly about one of the toughest periods of his career, including the debt he faced.

Sunny Deol Says His Career Decline Was Gradual

Sunny recalled that his career did not decline suddenly after the success of Gadar. He pointed to the strong performance of both Gadar and Indian in 2001.

“Along with Gadar, I also delivered Indian, which was a much bigger hit than Lagaan and all the other films of that time. It did two to three times of Lagaan’s business. Gadar did much more than that.” According to Sunny, the film industry changed soon after that period. “Suddenly, corporates came in, and the film industry’s format began changing,” he said.

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He added, “But after that, I don’t know why I wasn’t getting the right subjects and makers.”

Politics Also Affected One of His Films

Sunny also remembered the problems faced by his 2005 film Jo Bole So Nihaal. The film faced political opposition and was eventually withdrawn. “That film didn’t go too far because of politics. So, we had to withdraw it because of certain issues,” he said.

He further expressed his concern about politics becoming involved in films, saying, “These days, when politics is entering films, that should not happen. We’re not doing anything. We’re just entertainers.”

How Sunny Deol Fell Into Debt?

The actor also revealed that his financial problems became serious after his directorial projects failed to perform as expected. His films Dillagi, Ghayal Returns and Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas put considerable pressure on his finances. In 2023, a bank issued an e-auction notice for his Juhu property over outstanding dues and interest of ₹55.99 crore. The notice was later withdrawn after he agreed to settle the amount. Sunny clarified that the debt was connected to his own investments and assets.

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“The money I owed was all mine. I didn’t borrow it from anyone. I didn’t owe anyone anything. I just had to sell my own assets and pay back.”

‘Even When I Was In Debt, I Was Very Happy’

Despite the difficult financial period, Sunny said money did not decide his happiness. “I can’t do so many things for money. But to be very honest, I’m very happy. Even when I was in debt, I was very happy. I was living my life.”

His career eventually changed with Gadar 2. The film’s success brought Sunny a new wave of opportunities, including Jaat, Border 2, Ikkis and Batwara 1947.

- PTC PUNJABI