Sunny Deol (born 19 October 1957) is an Indian actor, director, producer and former politician who works in Hindi films. The eldest son of the legendary actor Dharmendra, he became one of Bollywood’s leading action heroes, known for his intense, angry-man roles. His best-known films include Ghayal, Damini, Border and Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, and both Ghayal and Damini brought him National Film Awards. He returned to the top in 2023 with Gadar 2, one of the biggest hits of his career.
Quick Facts
| Birth name | Ajay Singh Deol |
| Born | 19 October 1957, Sahnewal, Ludhiana district, Punjab, India |
| Age | 69 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Actor, director, producer, former politician |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Parents | Dharmendra, Prakash Kaur |
| Sibling | Bobby Deol (actor) |
| Spouse | Pooja Deol |
| Children | 2 (Karan Deol, Rajveer Deol) |
| Known for | Betaab, Ghayal, Damini, Darr, Border, Gadar, Gadar 2 |
Early Life
Deol was born Ajay Singh Deol in Sahnewal, Punjab, the eldest son of Dharmendra and his first wife, Prakash Kaur. His younger brother, Bobby Deol, is also an actor, and the actresses Esha and Ahana Deol are his half-sisters. He trained in acting in England before starting his film career.
Career
Deol made his debut in the romance Betaab (1983), produced by his father, and it was a big hit. He moved into action with Arjun (1985) and Tridev (1989). Rajkumar Santoshi’s Ghayal (1990), produced by his father’s company, won him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor and a National Film Award (Special Jury). He won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for Santoshi’s Damini (1993), in which he played a hard-drinking lawyer. He also appeared in Yash Chopra’s Darr (1993) with Shah Rukh Khan and in Ghatak (1996).
J. P. Dutta’s war film Border (1997), about the 1971 Battle of Longewala, was a huge hit. In Anil Sharma’s Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001) he played Tara Singh, a Sikh truck driver who crosses into Pakistan to bring back his wife. The film was one of the biggest blockbusters in Hindi cinema history. He later starred with his father and brother in Apne (2007) and the Yamla Pagla Deewana comedies.
Deol returned as Tara Singh in Gadar 2 (2023), which became one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of the year and revived his career. He followed it with the action film Jaat (2025), co-starring Randeep Hooda, and the war sequel Border 2 (2026). He plays Hanuman in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, opposite Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, and stars in Lahore 1947.
Political Career
Deol was elected to the Lok Sabha as the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate for Gurdaspur, Punjab, in 2019. He served one term, until 2024.
Personal Life
Deol is married to Pooja Deol and has two sons. Karan Deol made his acting debut in Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas (2019), which his father directed, and Rajveer Deol is also an actor. His father, Dharmendra, died in November 2025.
Awards and Honours
Selected Filmography
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Sunny Deol born?
Sunny Deol was born on 19 October 1957 in Sahnewal, Ludhiana district, Punjab, India and is 69 years old.
What is Sunny Deol known for?
Known for: Betaab, Ghayal, Damini, Darr, Border, Gadar, Gadar 2.
Featured image: Sunny Deol. Photo by https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/, licensed under CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
