Out of 108 movies, nearly 60 to 70 movies are in the action genre

Today’s generation that idolises Lakshya Lalwani, Vicky Kaushal, Kartik Aaryan, or Ranbir Kapoor, and even the generation that goes gaga over Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, will find it hard to believe that once upon a time, Sunny Deol was a star who stood unparalleled in Bollywood.

And while it is well known that Deol wasn’t as versatile as his evergreen father, Dharmendra Deol, he knew one thing really well and capitalised on it: doing action films. Shouting at the top of his voice, displaying his bulky physique, thrashing enemies, using dummy weapons, and so on – Deol’s action filmography was on another level.

A lesser number of debuts

Between 1980 and 1990, the number of actors debuting was significantly lower. Actors such as Jeetendra and Amitabh Bachchan were slowly moving into the senior category, whereas during that period, Sunny Deol was a major fresh face alongside the likes of Sanjay Dutt, Mithun Chakraborty, and Jackie Shroff. There were a few others who made their debuts, but they failed to make a mark and disappeared.

(Credit- Republic Bharat)

Deol’s period

Despite the debuts of Dutt, Shroff, and Chakraborty, it was Deol’s choice of films that became a fresh offering to the audience. His intense, angry look, fight sequences, use of a wide range of dummy weaponry, iconic dialogues, and raw acting skill in the action category made him a star overnight when he made his debut in the romantic-action film Betaab opposite Amrita Singh.

In the same period when his competitors were doing two or three films a year, Deol was doing five to six films, even seven in 1989. From his very first year, Deol gave at least one hit every year, such as Sohni Mahiwal, Arjun, Sultanat, Dacait, Paap ki Duniya, Tridev, Ghayal, Narsimha, Damini, Darr, and so on.

Even post-1995, when the era of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Akshay Kumar had started, Deol was racking up the hit list with films like Himmat, Ghatak, Ziddi, Ajay, Border, Saalakhen, Arjun Pandit, Champion, Gadar, and Indian, and the list of action movies remains endless.

 (Credit- NDTV)

Although not comparable in terms of action sequences, film plots, or production quality, it was clear that Sunny Deol's choice of films and the image he sought to establish were heavily influenced by Sylvester Stallone. An alumnus of the Old World Theatre in Birmingham, multiple reports also suggest that Deol once trained in Stallone’s gym.

(Credit- The Quint)

Deol’s physique and wardrobe

Back in the day, Deol did not have six-pack abs, but he had the bulk and muscles that his competitors lacked to carry out intense action roles. In terms of fashion, too—not only in films—Deol carried an aura in the real world, with denims paired with boots, cargo trousers, unbuttoned shirts, and so on. Be it on screen or off, Deol’s presence screamed “macho” everywhere, which further solidified his identity as an action star.

(Credit- Press Trust of India)

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, people today may not believe how big a star Sunny Deol was, who was highly instrumental in putting the Indian action film genre into sixth gear. Today, the kind of over-the-top masala action movie he does in the name of comebacks may not be likeable, but on his 68th birthday, do watch out for some of the flicks we have mentioned in this article, and you will slowly realise the point we are trying to make