Ever since Animal, Bobby Deol’s fans have been eagerly waiting for a powerful solo hit that can pull him out of the villain and supporting actor tag. Directed by Anurag Kashyap, the film Bandar carries huge expectations.
Notably, the film will be released on June 5. The buzz around the movie has grown strongly after the trailer’s release.
The film Bandar is based on a real incident that occurred in India. Sudeep Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee, the famous duo behind excellent stories like Paatal Lok, Kohrra, and Udta Punjab, have written the film.
Bobby’s career witnessed many ups and downs. In the late 90s and early 2000s, Bobby Deol was a major star who could carry films on his own shoulders. Bobby made his leading Bollywood debut in the 1995 romantic action film Barsaat.
The 1997 film ‘Gupt’ proved to be the turning point in his career. Starring alongside Manisha Koirala and Kajol, the movie became one of the biggest hits of the year and pushed Bobby firmly on the path to fame.
When Bobby denied doing an intimate scene with Manisha
Recalling those days, there was a moment when Bobby refused to do an intimate scene with co-actress Manisha Koirala.
It was during the shooting of the song ‘Bechainiyaan’ in the film Gupt, where Manisha Koirala had to a romantic scene with Bobby. She had to be close to Bobby’s face and bite his chin.
In an episode of Aap Ki Adalat, Bobby Deol shared about an incident from the shooting of the film Gupt. He stated that during the filming of a romantic song, Manisha had eaten chana chaat with lots of onions, which made him uncomfort.
Did a prank on Manisha that failed badly
Wanting to play a prank as a ‘revenge,’ Bobby convinced a newcomer actor to eat several onions before a scene with Manisha, claiming it would improve his acting. However, the prank failed as Manisha showed no reaction at all. Looking back, Bobby laughed and said they were immature and playful at that age.
Manisha Koirala was reportedly not the first choice for the lead in Gupt. Raveena Tandon was initially selected and had even shot early promotional posters with Bobby before being replaced.
Twinkle Khanna once got irritated with him during their debut film
Bobby shared another funny incident from his early days in Bollywood. He addressed rumours that he often had small disagreements with his female co-stars and was known for playing pranks on set.
Rajkumar Santoshi’s directorial ‘Barsaat’ was debut film of Twinkle Khanna opposite Bobby.
Talking about his debut film Barsaat, Bobby recalled a minor issue with co-star Twinkle Khanna. He said that both of them were very young at the time. Bobby revealed that he had stomach problems since childhood and often talked about them on set. He shared-
I have had stomach problems since childhood. I used to keep talking about it as if I used the washroom, so I would share how it was. This irritated her a lot. When she had her first interview for the film, she revealed this publicly. Then, I called her and said, ‘How can you say it in an interview?
Bobby summed up, saying that those were the days when they were too young and those were silly mistakes.
Fractured his leg while shooting a song, and continued with a broken leg
While filming a song for Gupt, Bobby fractured his leg and sustained a deep injury. Despite this, he had to continue dancing. Choreographers Chinni and Rekha Prakash created special steps that required him to move only his hands and not his body. These iconic hand movements later became famously known as “Bobby Deol’s style.”
Manisha and Bobby had an on-set clash over hairstyle
Manisha and Bobby had initial clashes over hairstyling instructions, but they quickly became good friends. During the shoot, Manisha often brought delicious home-cooked food for Bobby.
Film Bandar is now carrying the heavy expectation of bringing back the same star power Bobby showed during the Gupt era. It remains to be seen whether this new collaboration with Anurag Kashyap can re-establish Bobby as a leading mainstream hero.
Was an alcohol addict, but his wife Tania, stood by him through his toughest years
Bobby first saw Tania at Mumbai’s famous Italian café, Trattoria, at the President Hotel. He immediately got her phone number through a common friend and asked her out.
Bobby recently opened up about the difficult phase he faced when his career was struggling. The actor revealed that he turned to alcohol while dealing with feelings of failure and disappointment. Bobby said he became addicted to drinking and often felt sorry for himself during that period.
The actor credited his wife, Tania Deol, for helping him overcome his addiction and rebuild his life. He dismissed rumours that she left him during his low phase, saying she always supported him.
Bobby shared that Tania managed the household and handled finances while he was out of work. He added that a major turning point came when his children questioned why he stayed home while their mother went to work, motivating him to change and focus on his career again.
Film ‘Alpha’ with Alia and Sharvari
Apart from Bandar, Bobby Deol will also be seen in Yash Raj Films (YRF)’s spy thriller film ‘Alpha’. Alia Bhatt and Sharvari are in the lead roles in this film. This is the first female-centric film of the YRF Spy Universe. ‘Alpha’ is directed by Shiv Rawail and is set for release in theatres on July 10, 2026.
