Ameesha Patel on Sunny vs Bobby Deol: 'Two extremes, like North and South Pole'
Synopsis
Ameesha Patel's candid comparison of Sunny and Bobby Deol on a reality show is more than a fun anecdote — the Jaipur Fort crowd incident, where fans refused to let Bobby hug her because 'Tara Singh brought her back from Pakistan,' is a vivid snapshot of how completely Gadar colonised the Indian cultural imagination in 2001.
Key Takeaways
Ameesha Patel appeared on India's Best Dancer Season 5 and compared working with Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol .
She described Sunny Deol as shy, protective, and patient — qualities she links to the enduring magic of Gadar .
Bobby Deol , her co-star in Humraaz ( 2002 ), was characterised as relaxed, outgoing, and fun on set.
During the shoot of Humraaz at Jaipur Fort , fans refused to let Bobby hug her, shouting that she 'belongs to' Sunny's Gadar character Tara Singh .
Patel last reprised her role as Sakeena in Gadar 2 ( 2023 ), one of Bollywood's biggest blockbusters of the year.
Actress Ameesha Patel has opened up about the strikingly contrasting personalities of Bollywood's celebrated Deol brothers — Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol — describing them as 'two extremes, like the North Pole and the South Pole.' The revelation came during her recent appearance on the dance reality show India's Best Dancer Season 5, where host Haarsh Limbachiyaa prompted her to compare her experiences working with both actors.
Sunny Deol: Shy, Protective, Patient
Patel, who starred opposite Sunny Deol in the iconic Gadar, described the elder Deol as reserved yet deeply caring on set. 'Sunny ji is very shy, but he was very open with me. He was very protective. If something happened to me, he used to come and stand before me, and I think that's one of the reasons Gadar continues to remain so special,' she said. She characterised him as patient and shielding — qualities she credits as central to the chemistry that made the film a cultural landmark.
Bobby Deol: Relaxed, Outgoing, the Life of the Set
The contrast with Bobby Deol, her co-star in the 2002 thriller Humraaz, could not be sharper. 'Bobby, on the other hand, is chilled and outgoing. He'll party with you, joke with you and say, 'Do you really want me to give a shot? I have to play cards, I have to go home. I haven't gone to the loo. I'm very troubled.' He's very relaxed and amazing,' Patel recalled, laughing. Where Sunny brought quiet intensity, Bobby, she suggested, brought ease and levity to every shoot.
The Jaipur Fort Incident That Stopped a Scene
Patel also shared an amusing anecdote from the shoot of Humraaz at Jaipur Fort, illustrating just how deeply Gadar had embedded itself in the public imagination. When Bobby Deol was about to hug her for a climax scene, the assembled crowd erupted in protest. 'The crowd started shouting, 'Leave her! She belongs to your brother. Tara Singh brought her back from Pakistan, don't touch her!' We had to calm everyone down and explain that it was just a film shoot. Eventually, we completed the scene without hurting anyone's sentiments,' she recounted. The incident underlines how thoroughly audiences had internalised her Gadar character Sakeena as real.
Gadar 2 and the Deol Legacy
Patel most recently reprised her role as Sakeena in Gadar 2 (2023), reuniting with Sunny Deol in what became one of the biggest Bollywood blockbusters of the year. She added that working with the Deol family has always been a pleasure, suggesting the warmth she described is a family trait, even if expressed in wildly different ways. With Bobby Deol himself enjoying a remarkable career resurgence in recent years, the sibling contrast Patel describes has taken on fresh relevance for a new generation of fans.
Point of View
Unscripted data point on how thoroughly a film can overwrite reality in the audience's mind. That fans in 2002 were still so invested in Gadar's fiction that they intervened in a rival film's shoot speaks to a level of parasocial attachment that modern streaming metrics cannot easily capture. Ameesha Patel's candour also serves a quiet PR purpose: with Bobby Deol's career resurgence making him newly relevant, her warm portrayal of both brothers keeps her associated with two of Bollywood's most bankable names simultaneously.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Ameesha Patel say about Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol?
Ameesha Patel described Sunny Deol as shy, protective, and patient, and Bobby Deol as chilled, outgoing, and fun — calling them 'two extremes, like the North Pole and the South Pole.' She made the remarks on India's Best Dancer Season 5.
What happened during the Humraaz shoot at Jaipur Fort?
When Bobby Deol was about to hug Ameesha Patel for a climax scene, the crowd reportedly shouted that she 'belongs to' Sunny Deol's Gadar character Tara Singh and urged Bobby not to touch her. The team had to calm the crowd before completing the scene.
Which films did Ameesha Patel make with the Deol brothers?
Ameesha Patel starred with Sunny Deol in Gadar (2001) and its sequel Gadar 2 (2023), and with Bobby Deol in the 2002 thriller Humraaz.
What is Ameesha Patel's most recent film?
Ameesha Patel was last seen in Gadar 2 (2023), where she reprised her iconic role as Sakeena alongside Sunny Deol. The film was one of Bollywood's biggest blockbusters of that year.
Where did Ameesha Patel make these revelations?
She shared these anecdotes during a guest appearance on the dance reality show India's Best Dancer Season 5, in response to questions from host Haarsh Limbachiyaa.
