"Papa's belief and Raj's writing made Ghayal possible": Sunny Deol recalls working in 'Ghayal'
Mumbai, June 22
As 'Ghayal' completed 36 years on June 22, 2026, actor Sunny Deol took a stroll down memory lane, recalling shooting for the hit action drama.
He shared that it was his late father and legendary actor Dharmendra's belief and director Rajkumar Santoshi's writing that made the film possible.
Sunny also shared a video which consists of his iconic scenes from the film.
"Papa's belief and Raj's writing made Ghayal possible. Your love made it immortal," he captioned the post.
'Ghayal' highlighted the fight for justice fought by Ajay Mehra on behalf of his family and himself. He was accompanied the whole time by Meenakshi Seshadri, who portrays Varsha Bharti, his love.
Balwant Rai, played by Amrish Puri, who won praise for the part, is another difficult character to forget. They were joined in the film by a talented ensemble that included Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Raj Babbar, Moushmi Chatterjee, and Om Puri.
He was also jointly given a National Award (Special Jury Award), with Pankaj Kapur and South Indian actress Jayabharathi.
Meanwhile, in the coming months, Sunny Deol will be seen in 'Batwara 1947', which is helmed by Rajkumar Santoshi.
It is set against the backdrop of the 1947 Partition of India and explores themes of courage, displacement and survival during one of the most turbulent periods in the subcontinent's history.
The project boasts an ensemble cast that includes Sunny Deol, Shabana Azmi, Preity Zinta, Ali Fazal, Karan Deol, Khushi Hajare, Kanikka Kapur and Abhimanyu Singh.
'Batwara 1947' is scheduled for a theatrical release on August 14, 2026.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Ghayal is timeless. The way Sunny portrayed Ajay Mehra's fight for justice still gives me chills. But honestly, I think the film's success also owes a lot to Amrish Puri's villainy—he was such a brilliant antagonist. And that song 'So Gaya Yeh Jahan' is still on my playlist. What a gem!
I'm not Indian, but I discovered Ghayal a few years ago and was blown away. The action sequences are raw and intense. It's cool to see Sunny Deol still passionate about his work after all these years. Batwara 1947 sounds like a powerful project too.
Sunny's credit to his father and Santoshi ji is so heartwarming. Dharmendra's belief in his son is something every Indian parent can relate to. But I hope Batwara 1947 brings a fresh perspective on Partition—too many films romanticize that tragedy. Let's see if Santoshi ji delivers something nuanced.
Ghayal is a classic! I remember watching it with my family during cable TV days. Sunny's style of dialogue delivery is iconic. Looking forward to Batwara 1947—the cast is stellar, especially Shabana Azmi and Preity Zinta. Hope it does justice to the historical context!
36 years! Wow. Sunny's humility in crediting his father and Rajkumar Santoshi shows why he's a legend. But let's be real—Ghayal's action sequences were way ahead of their time, and Sunny's physicality made them believable. Bat
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