Before his big comeback, Bobby Deol He had a very hard time in his career. At this low point Salman Khan came in and gave him a role in ‘Race 3’ which helped him come back into the picture. Bobby recently recalled how difficult things were before getting his career back on track. Today, however, things couldn’t be more different as the actor is enjoying massive success thanks to ‘Animal’ and ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’, making him one of the most popular names in Bollywood right now.
Bobby Deol recalls the call that changed Salman Khan’s life
In a chat on Shekhar Tonite, Bobby looked back on the moment he got an unexpected call from Salman that would eventually open the doors for ‘Race 3’. The film, which hit theaters in 2018, featured Salman in the lead role of the ‘Race’ franchise, and Saif Ali Khan. Reflecting on how it all came about, Bobby said, “Salman was so sweet… He called me and said ‘shirt utarega mamu?’ he asked me I said main kuch bhi karunga. He said come and get the narration and then I entered the 3rd race. I knew millions of people would watch this Salman Khan film. The younger generation had forgotten Bobby Deol. So I thought that if I appear in this film, people will remember that Bobby Deol is still there.”
Bobby Deol on what ‘Race 3’ meant beyond box office numbers
Apart from Bobby, ‘Race 3’ boasted an ensemble cast that included Salman Khan. Anil KapoorJacqueline Fernandez Daisy Shah and Saqib Saleem. Although the film received a mixed response from critics, it was a solid commercial success, grossing over 300 million at the worldwide box office. For Bobby, however, the film meant much more than the numbers. He openly admitted that he saw the project as an opportunity to recapture a younger generation of viewers who have gradually drifted away from his work over the years.
Bobby Deol for being forgotten by the younger generation
Reflecting on what the film meant to his career, Bobby didn’t shy away from admitting how personally driven he was. “Millions of people are going to watch a Salman Khan film. Jo young generation thi woh Bobby Deol ko bhool gayi thi (Young generation forgot Bobby Deol). So I felt ki main iss film me aaunga toh log pehchanenge ki koi Bobby Deol bhi hai (If I do this film, people will realize that I exist),” he said.
Bobby Deol’s remarkable journey from ‘Race 3’ to ‘Animal’
‘Race 3’ opened a new door for Bobby, and he took advantage of it. In 2020, his show ‘Aashram’, dir Prakash JhaIt helped him reach a new set of OTT fans and proved that he was far from it. But the real turning point came with ‘Animal’. The movie was Ranbir Kapoor’s show but Bobby’s role as a villain took everyone by surprise. She didn’t have much screen time, but she got a lot of attention and received a lot of praise for her work. After that, there was no looking back. He did ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’ and ‘Hari Hara Veera Mallu’, and is having the best time of his career.
Bobby Deol’s Upcoming Projects: ‘Bandar’ and ‘Jana Nayagan’
On the work front, Bobby has Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Bandar’ line, and fans are eager to see what the two have brought to the table together. He is also a part of ‘Jana Nayagan’, which is creating a lot of buzz and is said to be Vijay’s last outing as an actor. However, the film has hit a snag as it has been stuck with the CBFC for the past few months with no clear resolution in sight.
