Sunny Deol Opens Up About Shah Rukh Khan Feud During Darr, Says They Are Colleagues, Not Friends

Sunny Deol has revisited his long-standing fallout with Shah Rukh Khan during the making of Darr, saying insecurity can sometimes affect actors and admitting that he does not consider the superstar a close friend today.

Sunny Deol and Shah Rukh Khan’s professional history has long been linked to the intense fallout they experienced while making the 1993 psychological thriller Darr. More than three decades after the film’s release, Sunny has spoken about the episode again, reflecting on the emotions that contributed to the disagreement and explaining how he views his relationship with Shah Rukh today.

In a recent conversation with Shubhankar Mishra, Sunny recalled the anger he experienced while filming the Yash Chopra-directed movie. He also acknowledged that insecurity can sometimes influence actors and create tensions that may not necessarily be required.

Sunny Deol says insecurity can affect actors

Reflecting on his younger years, Sunny said he would not describe himself as an insecure person. However, he acknowledged that insecurity can affect actors and lead to situations that later become difficult.

He explained that performers can only bring their respective characters to life and cannot become something beyond what the role demands. According to Sunny, when actors begin feeling insecure, the atmosphere around a film can change and create unnecessary tension.

The actor’s comments offer his perspective on the circumstances surrounding one of Bollywood’s most discussed on-set disagreements.

Sunny had previously recalled how angry he became during the making of Darr, to the point that he tore his jeans with his bare hands. The incident has remained one of the most frequently remembered stories from the production.

Sunny Deol says Shah Rukh Khan is his colleague, not friend

When Sunny was asked whether he and Shah Rukh are friends today, his response made a distinction between professional relationships and genuine friendship.

He explained that he never considered Shah Rukh an enemy, either during the period of their disagreement or afterward. However, he described people from the film industry more as colleagues rather than close friends.

Sunny also spoke about the importance of friendships formed during childhood. He said that the friends he considers closest to him are people he knew from school rather than people he met through Bollywood.

For Sunny, friendship is rooted in the openness and familiarity that develops during childhood, making those relationships different from professional connections formed later in life.

Why did Sunny Deol and Shah Rukh Khan fight during Darr?

The disagreement between Sunny and Shah Rukh dates back to the filming of Darr, which was released in 1993.

Sunny played Sunil Malhotra, the film’s central protagonist, while Shah Rukh portrayed Rahul Mehra, an obsessive character who becomes the antagonist of the story. Shah Rukh’s performance became one of the defining aspects of the film and helped establish him as a major star.

Sunny, however, had concerns about how the confrontation between the two characters was being handled, particularly toward the climax. He reportedly felt that the protagonist’s position within the story was not being portrayed in a way he expected.

The disagreement became heated, and Sunny later recalled his physical reaction to the frustration he felt at the time.

The Darr fallout lasted for years

The tension between the two actors did not end with the completion of the film.

For years, Sunny and Shah Rukh maintained their distance, with the two actors not speaking to each other for a considerable period. Their strained relationship became a recurring subject of discussion whenever their respective careers or Darr were revisited.

Despite the passage of time, neither actor became publicly associated with a sustained personal friendship.

The relationship appeared to soften significantly after the success of Sunny’s 2023 film Gadar 2. Shah Rukh was among the Bollywood personalities who congratulated Sunny following the film’s remarkable theatrical run, and the two were subsequently seen interacting more openly.

Darr became a turning point for Shah Rukh Khan

Looking back at the film today, Darr occupies an important place in Shah Rukh Khan’s career.

Released at a time when he was still establishing himself in Hindi cinema, the film allowed him to play a character far removed from the conventional romantic hero. His portrayal of Rahul’s obsession and psychological instability received considerable attention and helped demonstrate his range.

For Sunny Deol, meanwhile, Darr was another major film during a period when he was already one of Hindi cinema’s established action stars.

The contrasting trajectories of the two actors made their disagreement during the production particularly memorable in Bollywood history.

Sunny Deol and Shah Rukh Khan’s relationship today

Sunny’s latest comments suggest that there is no active hostility between the two actors, but he does not describe their relationship as a close friendship.

Instead, he views Shah Rukh as a fellow member of the film industry and colleague.

His comments also reflect a broader point about professional relationships in cinema: disagreements can emerge when actors become deeply invested in their characters, performances and creative choices, particularly on demanding productions.

More than 30 years after Darr, the episode remains a notable chapter in both actors’ careers. While the two have moved beyond their old differences, Sunny’s comments make clear that reconciliation does not necessarily mean turning a former professional associate into a personal friend.