Salman Khan played a major role in reviving Bobby Deol’s career by casting him in Race 3 when work stopped for him. Bobby has publicly admitted that he saw the film as an opportunity to reconnect with younger audiences. He is now enjoying massive success after ‘Animal’ and ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’.
Before his big comeback, Bobby Deol was going through a very tough time in his career. It was at this low point that Salman Khan came forward and gave him a role in Race 3, which helped bring him back into the picture.
Bobby recently recalled how tough things were before his career got back on track.
However, today, 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 remembers Salman Khan’s invitation that changed his life
While chatting on Shekhar Tonight, Bobby looked back on the moment he received an unexpected call from Salman which would eventually open the doors for ‘Race 3’. The film, which hit theaters in 2018, saw Salman stepping into the lead role of the ‘Race’ franchise, succeeding Saif Ali Khan. Reflecting on how it happened, Bobby said: “Salman was very nice… He called me and asked, ‘Utarga mamo shirt?’ I said ‘Main kuch bhi karunga.’”
He said come and get the narration and then I entered Race 3. I knew millions of people would watch this Salman Khan film. The younger generation has forgotten about Bobby Deol. So I thought if I appear in this film, people will remember that Bobby Deol is still around.”
Bobby Deol talks about what ‘Race 3’ means beyond box office numbers
Apart from Bobby, Race 3 features an ensemble cast that includes Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor and Jacqueline Fernandez.
Daisy Shah
And Saqib Salim. Although the film received a mixed response from critics, it proved to be a strong commercial success, grossing over Rs 300 crore at the worldwide box office.
But for Bobby, the movie meant much more than just numbers. He publicly admitted that he viewed the project as an opportunity to win back a younger generation of viewers who had gradually turned away from his work over the years.
Bobby Deol on being forgotten by the younger generation
When reflecting on what the film meant for his career, Bobby wasn’t shy about admitting how much it affected him personally. “Millions of people will go to watch a Salman Khan film.
Go young generation thi woh Bobby Deol ko bhole gaye thi (The young generation has forgotten Bobby Deol). So I felt ‘ki main iss me aaunga toh log pehchanenge ki koi Bobby Deol bhi hai’ (If I do this film, people will realize that I exist).”
Bobby Deol’s amazing journey from Race 3 to Animal
“Race 3” opened a new door for Bobby, and he made the most of it. In 2020, his series “Ashram” directed by
Prakash Jha
helped him reach a whole new set of fans on OTT and proved that he hasn’t accomplished anything yet.
But the real turning point came with the movie “The Animal.” The film was a showcase for Ranbir Kapoor, but Bobby’s role as a bad guy surprised everyone. He didn’t have a lot of screen time, but he made a huge impact and received a lot of praise for his work. After that, there was no looking back for him. He has gone on to work in ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’ and ‘Hari Hara Veera Mallu’ and is currently having the time of his career.
Bobby Deol’s upcoming projects: ‘Bendar’ and ‘Jana Nayagan’
On the work front, Bobby has penned Anurag Kashyap’s song ‘Bender’, which has fans eager to see what the two will bring to the table together. He is also a part of ‘Jana Nayagan’, a film that has created a lot of buzz as it is said to be Vijay’s last outing as an actor. However, the film has reached a dead end as it has been stuck with the CBFC for several months now with no clear resolution in sight.
