EXCLUSIVE: Suneel Darshan on his legal battle with Sunny Deol over unpaid dues, “Then suddenly, he said, ‘I don’t have the money’”
In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, filmmaker Suneel Darshan reflected on a challenging period in his career—his long-standing dispute with actor Sunny Deol. The disagreement, which began in the mid-1990s, stemmed from financial issues and allegedly unmet professional commitments, eventually leading to a legal battle that lasted for decades.
How the Dispute Began
The fallout between Suneel Darshan and Sunny Deol dates back to the release of Ajay in 1996. Sunny Deol had taken over the overseas distribution rights of the film and was expected to make a payment to the filmmaker. However, as par Darshan, the payment never came through. Darshan recalled, “Sunny took the overseas rights and assured me the payment would be made. Initially, he said there were banking holidays, so there was a delay. Then suddenly, he said, ‘I don’t have the money.’”
Darshan claimed that instead of settling the dues, Sunny offered to compensate by working on another project together. “He said, ‘Let’s work on another film. I’ll do a film for you instead.’ I agreed, thinking at least the commitment would be honoured in some form.” The new story Darshan narrated to Sunny eventually evolved into the 1999 hit Jaanwar. But according to Darshan, Sunny backed out with minimal explanation. “I shared the script with him, and he said, ‘I’m not comfortable.’ But it didn’t feel like a genuine reason. There was no effort to find a solution, to make good on the earlier promise. After that, certain incidents happened which made us to decide we shouldn’t work together. Definitely my money would be paid and he promised me, assured me is a right word I’ll use, that he would return the money and will return it with whatever the interest is, but that day never came.”
A Legal Dispute Spanning Decades
The disagreement eventually evolved into a prolonged legal dispute. Darshan shared that, as of 2023, the dues related to Ajay remained unpaid, amounting to approximately Rs. 1.77 crores. He described the experience as emotionally and financially draining, calling it a “dark chapter” in his otherwise steady career in the film industry.
Letting Go and Moving On
Despite the long and difficult journey, Darshan said that he chooses not to hold on to resentment. While he acknowledged the pain caused by the situation, he emphasized his desire to focus on his creative work and move forward rather than dwell on the past.
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The post EXCLUSIVE: Suneel Darshan on his legal battle with Sunny Deol over unpaid dues, “Then suddenly, he said, ‘I don’t have the money’” appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.