Gadar on set: Sunny Deol took over direction for Ameesha Patel when Anil Sharma lost patience
Synopsis
Ameesha Patel has revealed that Sunny Deol quietly took over from director Anil Sharma on the sets of Gadar: Ek Prem Katha — stepping in as an impromptu director during her toughest scenes and clearing them in a single take. It is a rare behind-the-scenes window into one of Bollywood's biggest-ever blockbusters.
Key Takeaways
Ameesha Patel disclosed on 'India's Best Dancer Season 5' that Sunny Deol informally directed her during select scenes of 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha' .
Director Anil Sharma grew frustrated with repeated retakes; Sunny would ask him to step off the set and take charge himself.
Ameesha was a newcomer simultaneously shooting 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha' and 'Kaho Naa...
Pyaar Hai' at the same time.
Sunny's actor's intuition helped her clear difficult emotional and action shots in a single take each time he stepped in. 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha' ( 2001 ) became one of Indian cinema's biggest commercial hits; its sequel 'Gadar 2' ( 2023 ) was also a blockbuster.
Actress Ameesha Patel has revealed that Sunny Deol informally stepped into the director's role during the shooting of 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha', guiding her through emotionally demanding scenes after director Anil Sharma grew frustrated with repeated retakes. The disclosure came during her appearance as a special guest on 'India's Best Dancer Season 5'.
A Newcomer Under Pressure
Ameesha recalled being a complete newcomer when 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha' went on the floors. She was simultaneously shooting the romantic blockbuster 'Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai', making it an especially demanding phase. The role of Sakeena — a character she described as requiring the emotional depth of a seasoned performer — often left her unable to deliver shots on cue.
'Gadar had a character like Sakeena, for which you needed to be a very seasoned actor,' she said. 'So a lot of times, when I was on the set, I would get stuck and wouldn't be able to deliver the shot.'
When Sunny Deol Stepped In
According to Ameesha, director Anil Sharma would resort to repeated retakes and raised his voice in frustration. It was at those moments that Sunny Deol intervened — asking Sharma to step off the set and taking charge himself. 'As a director, he would take over, and that shot would get approved in just one take,' she recalled. She attributed his effectiveness to an actor's innate understanding of where a co-star gets stuck — particularly in action and highly emotional sequences.
Surprising Bond on Set
Ameesha also spoke about the unexpected closeness she shared with Sunny during the shoot. 'Sunny ji is actually very shy, but he really opened up with me. People on the set were actually surprised at how amazing the bonding between Ameesha and Sunny was,' she said. She added that he was notably protective — the first to stand by her whenever something went wrong on set.
The Legacy of Gadar
'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha', directed by Anil Sharma and released in 2001, starred Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel, Lillette Dubey, and the late Amrish Puri in pivotal roles. It went on to become one of the biggest commercial successes in the history of Indian cinema. Its sequel, 'Gadar 2', released in 2023, also emerged as a major box-office blockbuster. Ameesha noted that she was told the original had entered the record books as one of Bollywood's all-time greats — a fact that, in hindsight, puts those gruelling retakes in a very different light.
Point of View
But it quietly surfaces something worth noting: a leading male star stepping in to override a director — however well-intentioned — is a dynamic that rarely gets examined in Bollywood's nostalgia circuit. That Gadar succeeded spectacularly does not make the on-set hierarchy any less unusual. What the story does confirm is how much of a debut-era actress's experience depended on the goodwill of her co-star rather than institutional support systems. Twenty-four years on, that remains an uncomfortable truth about how the industry operated — and, in many corners, still does.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Sunny Deol take over direction on the sets of Gadar?
Sunny Deol stepped in as an informal director when Ameesha Patel struggled to deliver emotionally demanding scenes and director Anil Sharma grew frustrated with repeated retakes. According to Ameesha, Sunny's actor's perspective helped her clear those shots in a single take each time he took charge.
What role did Ameesha Patel play in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha?
Ameesha Patel played Sakeena, a character she described as requiring the emotional maturity of a very seasoned actor. The role's demands were compounded by the fact that she was a newcomer simultaneously shooting 'Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai' at the same time.
Where did Ameesha Patel reveal this Gadar behind-the-scenes story?
She shared the anecdote while appearing as a special guest on 'India's Best Dancer Season 5', opening up about her experience of shooting the 2001 blockbuster.
How successful was Gadar: Ek Prem Katha at the box office?
'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha', released in 2001 and directed by Anil Sharma, became one of the biggest commercial successes in the history of Indian cinema. Its 2023 sequel, 'Gadar 2', also emerged as a major box-office blockbuster.
Who were the main cast members of Gadar: Ek Prem Katha?
The film starred Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel, Lillette Dubey, and the late Amrish Puri in pivotal roles, under the direction of Anil Sharma.
