Sunny Deol Is Very Close To Me Says Rajkumar Santoshi As He Confirms New Action Film And Opens Up On Andaz Apna Apna And Bhojpuri Cinema

Rajkumar Santoshi and Sunny Deol are once again ready to bring their long-standing cinematic partnership back to the big screen. The filmmaker has confirmed that he is planning a new action film with Sunny Deol, with the project expected to go on floors in October. The announcement comes at a particularly exciting time for the duo, with their latest collaboration Bantwara 1947 receiving a positive response at the box office and Sunny Deol earning praise for his performance. Santoshi made the announcement while interacting with the media on the sidelines of the Bhojpuri film launch Saiyan Arab Gaile Na 2, where producer Abhay Sinha of Yashi Films was also present.

Talking about his equation with Sunny and the response to Bantwara 1947, Santoshi was full of praise for his longtime leading man. “Bhaiya, we are very close friends. This is our fourth film together. Sunny sir has been praised a lot. The film has been praised a lot,” he said. Taking his appreciation a step further, the filmmaker declared that he believes Sunny has delivered the finest performance of his career in the film. “I also believe that Sunny sir's performance in Bantwara is the best. Whatever work he has done before, he has done the best work in Bantwara. It makes you cry in the film, and that is a big thing,” Santoshi said, making it clear that the actor’s performance has left a particularly strong impression on him.

The success of Bantwara 1947 has now paved the way for another Santoshi Deol collaboration, this time promising a full-fledged action entertainer. Santoshi confirmed that the script is already ready and that the team is looking at an October start. “We are planning a great action film. If God wills, we will start shooting it in October. The script is ready,” the filmmaker revealed. After their previous collaborations, the prospect of the two returning for an action film is bound to generate considerable excitement, especially given their history of creating some of Sunny Deol’s most memorable screen moments.

Santoshi and Deol’s association goes back decades, with the filmmaker directing the actor in films including Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak, making their latest project another chapter in a partnership that has already produced some of Hindi cinema’s most iconic performances. Their collaborations have often revolved around powerful characters, emotional intensity and action, and Santoshi’s confirmation that the upcoming project will be an action film suggests that the filmmaker is returning to a territory that has long been closely associated with both his and Sunny’s cinematic identities.

Naturally, the conversation also turned towards one of Santoshi’s most beloved films, Andaz Apna Apna, and whether he would consider reviving it with Sunny Deol. The filmmaker made it clear that fans should not expect a sequel. “Andaz Apna Apna isn't Apna Apna. It's different. It's a comedy. I'm making a film with my own style and style. It's in the same vein as Andaz Apna Apna. But it's not a sequel. It's a different story,” Santoshi explained. His comments suggest that while the filmmaker is exploring the spirit of comedy that made Andaz Apna Apna so iconic, he has no intention of simply revisiting the original story.

Santoshi also revealed a deeply personal connection with Bhojpuri cinema when asked whether he would ever consider making a Bhojpuri film. The filmmaker explained that his relationship with the industry goes back to his childhood, thanks to his father, who made Bhojpuri films in the 1960s. “I have a very deep connection with Bhojpuri cinema,” he said. Santoshi recalled that his father made two Bhojpuri films with actor Sujit Kumar — Kab Hove Gabna Hamaar and Saya Se Bhale Milanwa — giving him a connection with the language and its cinema that predates his own filmmaking career.

The filmmaker also remembered an era when Bhojpuri cinema was known for emotionally rich and sophisticated storytelling. Referring to Ganga Maiya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo, he said, “At one time, Ganga Maiya To Pyari Chadhai was a very good, heart-touching story. Classy films were made in Bhojpuri cinema.” For Santoshi, the possibility of making a Bhojpuri film depends on finding the right story rather than simply entering the industry for the sake of it. “If I could find such a story, I would definitely make a Bhojpuri film that could be memorable,” he added.

His comments make the timing particularly interesting. Santoshi was speaking at the launch of Saiyan Arab Gaile Na 2, produced by Abhay Sinha under Yashi Films, a project that represents the continuing growth and ambition of Bhojpuri cinema. While Santoshi’s immediate focus remains his upcoming action film with Sunny Deol, his remarks about Bhojpuri cinema reveal that the filmmaker is open to exploring the industry if he discovers a story with the emotional weight and quality he remembers from its earlier era.

For now, however, the biggest takeaway remains the reunion of Santoshi and Sunny Deol. With the script ready and October being eyed as the shooting start, the filmmaker appears determined to build another powerful chapter with an actor he clearly considers both a close friend and an extraordinary performer. “Sunny himself is very happy,” Santoshi said while discussing their latest success, and that shared enthusiasm could prove to be the spark behind their next action-packed outing.

From Ghayal and Damini to Ghatak, Santoshi and Sunny Deol have already created a legacy together. Now, with Bantwara 1947 receiving attention and a new action film potentially beginning production in October, the duo seems ready to write another chapter. And Santoshi’s unexpected revelation about his roots in Bhojpuri cinema adds an intriguing possibility to the filmmaker’s future — one that could eventually bring him back to the language his family was making films in decades before he became one of Hindi cinema’s most celebrated directors.

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