Gadar – Ek Prem Katha (2001) is not just one of the biggest hits of Indian cinema but a film that continues to be loved and consumed regularly, even after 22 years of its release. When it arrived in cinemas on June 15, 2021, it created a frenzy in cinemas. Hence, it was shocking when Sunny Deol dropped the bomb that before the release, there were apprehensions in the industry about its box office prospects. Distributors shied away from buying it while some suggested that it seems like a ‘Punjabi film’! Sunny Deol opened about up about this aspect at the re-release premiere of Gadar – Ek Prem Katha, held in Mumbai on Friday, June 9.
Sunny Deol said, "Jab Gadar – Ek Prem Katha lagi, tab humein nahin pata tha ki yeh film gadar machayegi (smiles). People used to say, 'Yeh Punjabi film hai. Isse Hindi mein dub karo'. Some distributors said, 'Main toh nahin kharidunga yeh film'. So we did face a lot of issues. Lekin janta ko film itni pasand aayi ki unhone sab ka munh bandh karwa diya! Unhone hi humein himmat di hai ki hum part 2 banayein."
Gadar – Ek Prem Katha was re-released on June 9 across the country as the sequel, Gadar 2, is all set to hit cinemas on August 11 this year. Just like the first part, Gadar 2 also stars Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel and Utkarsh Sharma.
A discussion on Gadar – Ek Prem Katha with Sunny Deol is incomplete without the mention of the iconic hand pump scene. When Sunny was asked if he’ll once again lift the hand pump to beat the baddies, Sunny Deol joked, "Iss baar in logon ne saare hand pumps chhupa diye. Pehle se hi nikaal diye!"
Director Anil Sharma was also present and he remarked, "Main film yehi soch ke banata hoon ki yeh Bharat ki hi nahin, vishwa ki sabse badi blockbuster hogi. At times, I succeed and at times, I don't. Gadar – Ek Prem Katha ke time pe main sahi ho gaya. Sunny ji is humble. He knows from the inside (that the film will work). Yet, he would ask me, 'Sharma ji, chalegi?'. I would say, 'Chalegi nahin sir, daudegi. Bahut daudegi'.”
Also Read: Sunny Deol screams “Hindustan Zindabad” at Gadar: Ek Prem Katha re-release in New Delhi, watch
