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If pressurised to marry, I'll probably cheat: Abhay Deol
Roshmila Bhattacharya,Mumbai Mirror | Dec 18, 2013, 12.00 AM IST
Abhay Deol
Says Abhay Deol explaining how he and girlfriend Preeti Desai managed to sail through his first production without any hiccups
He has always been the different Deol and worked outside the system despite coming from a film family. He did follow tauji Dharmendra and cousins, Sunny and Bobby, into Bollywood 15 years ago, which ran true to type. But fearing he wouldn't be able to pull off the role of a typical hero, Abhay started writing a typical film scenarios in the hope that some producer would take a chance.
Many of the ideas never materialised into film scripts, but he continued to jot them down. And some time ago, invited filmamker Devika Bhagat home to narrate one of his ideas. "She liked mine but then narrated one of her ideas which I liked even better," Abhay reminisces.
That idea has translated into his first production 'One By Two'. It's a quirky, feel good film about two young people from the new-age, urban Indian middle-class who influence each others lives without being aware of each other's existence. "It's not a 'Shanghai' or 'Chakravyuh', but maybe it's in the same space of a 'Socha Na Tha' and a 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara'. It's about real people," explains Abhay.
The film co-stars Preeti Desai, his long-time girlfriend, and you wonder if they brought any baggage backhome while working together. "No, we planned ahead. Preeti stayed at her place while I stayed at mine and all was well," he laughs.
Abhay admits that in Preeti he has found a strong emotional support. "She's the stablising factor in my life who keeps me from feeling isolated," he says.
So given that he's found his anchor, what's stopping him from making the relationship official? Abhay admits that his mother would be thrilled if he decided to get married tomorrow and so would the aunts. "But I've always said that signing a piece of paper is no guarantee for love and loyalty in a relationship. If I were pressurised to tie the knot, I would probably run or cheat to get away. I've found a person I feel happy and secure with. It's as simple as that. Why should I complicate it?" he says.
Talking about cheating, many stars turned producers have been duped by frauds. Abhay's first production, Basra, was shelved. And the Deols are not known to be shrewd businessmen? "No, the road to production hasn't been smooth, but you can't give up," he says. "My strength is finding a subject, a director and a financier, I'm not good at striking deals. During Basra I was alone. But 'One By Two' is a team effort. Fortunately, my partner Sanjay is brilliant at execution. My family has so much goodwill and respect in the industry that I'm hoping this will keep the frauds at bay."
Does he foresee co-producing a film with his cousins in future? "Why not?" says Abhay. He points out that as a producer he would be flexible and willing to make more mainstream movies, which may not feature him.
"Bhaiya (Sunny Deol) may want to do something he's done before or maybe never done. For me the latter would be more exciting but even the former might work since he's good at what he does. And it would be an opportunity to be a part of the system," he reasons. "I'll continue to make movies that are somewhat original. I can collaborate with new talent and directors I've worked with. It's a chance to do something different."
So when will we see Abhay do something different or rather something typical filmy, like doing a song-anddance number or pound 10 people into the ground with the dhai kilo ka Deol haath? "I'd love to do action and I've done my share of naach-gaana in films like Socha Na Tha and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. But if I'm going to venture into that territory, I'd like to do it with a big producer and an established director so it doesn't turn into something tacky. But till that happens, I'll continue with my kind of cinema," he signs off
He has always been the different Deol and worked outside the system despite coming from a film family. He did follow tauji Dharmendra and cousins, Sunny and Bobby, into Bollywood 15 years ago, which ran true to type. But fearing he wouldn't be able to pull off the role of a typical hero, Abhay started writing a typical film scenarios in the hope that some producer would take a chance.
Many of the ideas never materialised into film scripts, but he continued to jot them down. And some time ago, invited filmamker Devika Bhagat home to narrate one of his ideas. "She liked mine but then narrated one of her ideas which I liked even better," Abhay reminisces.
That idea has translated into his first production 'One By Two'. It's a quirky, feel good film about two young people from the new-age, urban Indian middle-class who influence each others lives without being aware of each other's existence. "It's not a 'Shanghai' or 'Chakravyuh', but maybe it's in the same space of a 'Socha Na Tha' and a 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara'. It's about real people," explains Abhay.
The film co-stars Preeti Desai, his long-time girlfriend, and you wonder if they brought any baggage backhome while working together. "No, we planned ahead. Preeti stayed at her place while I stayed at mine and all was well," he laughs.
Abhay admits that in Preeti he has found a strong emotional support. "She's the stablising factor in my life who keeps me from feeling isolated," he says.
So given that he's found his anchor, what's stopping him from making the relationship official? Abhay admits that his mother would be thrilled if he decided to get married tomorrow and so would the aunts. "But I've always said that signing a piece of paper is no guarantee for love and loyalty in a relationship. If I were pressurised to tie the knot, I would probably run or cheat to get away. I've found a person I feel happy and secure with. It's as simple as that. Why should I complicate it?" he says.
Talking about cheating, many stars turned producers have been duped by frauds. Abhay's first production, Basra, was shelved. And the Deols are not known to be shrewd businessmen? "No, the road to production hasn't been smooth, but you can't give up," he says. "My strength is finding a subject, a director and a financier, I'm not good at striking deals. During Basra I was alone. But 'One By Two' is a team effort. Fortunately, my partner Sanjay is brilliant at execution. My family has so much goodwill and respect in the industry that I'm hoping this will keep the frauds at bay."
Does he foresee co-producing a film with his cousins in future? "Why not?" says Abhay. He points out that as a producer he would be flexible and willing to make more mainstream movies, which may not feature him.
"Bhaiya (Sunny Deol) may want to do something he's done before or maybe never done. For me the latter would be more exciting but even the former might work since he's good at what he does. And it would be an opportunity to be a part of the system," he reasons. "I'll continue to make movies that are somewhat original. I can collaborate with new talent and directors I've worked with. It's a chance to do something different."
So when will we see Abhay do something different or rather something typical filmy, like doing a song-anddance number or pound 10 people into the ground with the dhai kilo ka Deol haath? "I'd love to do action and I've done my share of naach-gaana in films like Socha Na Tha and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. But if I'm going to venture into that territory, I'd like to do it with a big producer and an established director so it doesn't turn into something tacky. But till that happens, I'll continue with my kind of cinema," he signs off
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