Dharam ji was my introduction to ‘filmstar’: Apne 2 director Anil Sharma

By Arundhuti Banerjee

Mumbai, Dec 17  Filmmaker Anil Sharma has collaborated on several films with the Deols over the decades. He made Hukumat and Elaan-e-Jung with Dharmendra, and directed his son Sunny Deol in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha and The Hero: Love Story Of A Spy. Sharma also called the shots on the 2007 release Apne, which brought together Dhamrendra with both sons — Sunny and Bobby. The director is now ready to make Apne 2, which will also include Sunny’s son Karan Deol in the cast.

“I born and brought up in Mathura, where in my childhood there was no cinema theatre near our house. So, when, for a family wedding function I went to Meerut, I went to a cinema theatre for the first time along with my grandfather. It was such an experience because it was a huge dark room, and on a screen, I saw actors. I saw them in such huge in size. I must have been eight or nine years old then. Later, I realised the name of the film was ‘Ganga Ki Lahren’ and the man on screen was Dharmendra. So my introduction to ‘filmstar’ was Dharam ji. I do not know if it was a coincidence that when I came to Mumbai and started assisting BR Chopra saab, I first time saw Dharam ji for the film ‘The Burning Train’, of course as an assistant director,” recalled Sharma, speaking to IANS.

“Since then I have made not only film with Dharam ji but also with Sunny and Bobby. I think I was destined to be associated with Deol family,” he added.

Sharma said plans are in place to start filming Apne 2 in March.

With Karan on board, he will direct three genrations of Deols in one film. “I think it is not a pressure but a pleasure for me to bring three generations of actors in one film. The first part was a success. Hopefully things will fall in place at the right time and the film will release in the theatre in Diwali 2021,” Anil signed off.

(Arundhuti Banerjee can be contacted at arundhuti.b@ians.in)