Sunny Deol has opened up about a financially difficult phase before Gadar 2 turned into a massive box-office success and revived his standing in Hindi cinema. Speaking on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, the actor said he was “very happy” even when he was dealing with a debt of nearly Rs 56 crore, and also recalled the e-auction notice issued against his Juhu property.
He said the pressure came not from borrowing money from others, but from investing his own assets and resources into films and other work. In 2023, a bank notice had referred to outstanding dues and interest of Rs 55.99 crore linked to Sunny Villa in Mumbai. The notice was later withdrawn after the matter moved towards settlement.
Sunny Deol on debt before Gadar 2
Sunny said money had never been the only reason behind his career choices. “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,” he said during the conversation.
He added that the dues were cleared by selling his own asset. “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 asset and pay back,” Sunny said, explaining how he dealt with the financial burden.
The actor traced his slowdown to the years after 2001, when Gadar and Indian had both performed strongly at the box office. According to him, the industry began changing with the arrival of corporate structures, but strong scripts and the right makers became harder to find.
Career slump, controversies and a box-office comeback
Sunny also spoke about Jo Bole So Nihaal, which faced objections from sections of the Sikh community in 2005. Its run was further affected after a blast at a Delhi theatre screening the film. The actor said political interference in cinema should be avoided because filmmakers are “just entertainers”.
His directorial ventures also added pressure. Sunny directed Dillagi, Ghayal Returns and Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, but none delivered the commercial outcome he had hoped for. He admitted that handling acting, direction and business together became difficult over time.
Gadar 2 changed the conversation around Sunny’s career in 2023, bringing him back into mainstream theatrical focus. Since then, he has been linked with projects including Jaat, Border 2 and Batwara 1947, his reunion with filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi. For Sunny, the comeback appears less like an overnight turnaround and more like relief after years of uncertainty.
