Bobby Deol Was Told To Learn Acting At 40, Reveals Anurag Kashyap
Anurag Kashyap praises Bobby Deol’s transformation in Bandar, calling it his most emotionally raw performance. Film premiered at TIFF 2025.
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has opened up about working with Bobby Deol in his latest film Bandar, which recently had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film, known for its intense narrative and ensemble of trained theatre actors, features Bobby in a role that Kashyap describes as the actor’s most emotionally vulnerable yet.
Bobby Deol’s Turning Point: From Stardom to Soul-Baring Roles
In a candid conversation with The Lallantop, Anurag Kashyap revealed a personal moment shared by Bobby that shaped his late-career transformation.
“Bobby told me something that really struck me. He said, ‘When I turned 40, someone told me, Bobby, you need to learn how to act. No one ever told me that in my childhood.’”
That realization, Anurag said, pushed Bobby into seeking roles that challenged his public image. Whether in Aashram or Love Hostel, Bobby chose characters that defied his real-life persona.
“He once told me, ‘I’m doing roles that can make you hate yourself.’”
Surrounded by National Award Winners, Bobby Shines Without Insecurity
Despite working alongside over 100 theatre-trained actors, many of them National Award recipients,Bobby remained confident and secure on the sets of Bandar.
“Bobby wasn’t insecure for even a second… He even started improvising for the first time. I didn’t even have to say ‘cut’ — he would deliver entire scenes in a single take.”
Kashyap added that Bobby performed scenes in the film that pushed his limits, revealing hidden layers of his acting prowess.
“He did things in this film that he’d never done in his life, things he didn’t even know he was capable of.”
Why Kashyap Avoids Big Stars and Why Bobby Is the Exception
Known for steering clear of conventional stars, Anurag explained that stardom can become a trap that forces actors to cling to outdated personas. He cited the examples of Dev Anand and Rajesh Khanna, who, over time, became caricatures of their earlier selves due to fan expectations. But Bobby Deol, he said, broke out of that mold with Bandar.
In an earlier interview with Sudhir Srinivasan, Kashyap shared that Bobby had turned down larger commercial projects to take on this emotionally demanding role.
“A complete surrender from someone who’s been a star for the longest time… He’s so vulnerable in the film — so emotionally naked.”
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