Esha Deol: 'Comparison to your parents, who are legends, is inevitable'

Returning to the big screen after 14 years with Tumko Meri Kasam, Esha Deol says her projects now will reflect the long way she has come from her first innings

Esha Deol believes actors have a kinship with the camera. It’s probably this familiarity that made her feel right at home as she faced the camera for Tumko Meri Kasam, which marks her return to the big screen after 14 years. Her decision to star in the courtroom drama—also featuring Anupam Kher, and Ishwak Singh—had a lot to do with its director, Vikram Bhatt. “Vikram is an actor’s director. I was in good hands. I remember I’d sit at my window at 5 am, before my kids woke up, and say my lines loudly. I prepped like this every day before going to the shoot,” she grins.

(From left) Anupam Kher and Esha Deol in the film

Having taken a break after Tell Me O Kkhuda (2011), Deol began her second innings with a short film, before diving into the OTT world with Rudra: The Edge of Darkness (2022). Excited about this new chapter, she says, “I had started in my teens. I am wiser now! The choices now will be different. With maturity, you know who you are and you choose what you align with. I want to be challenged with everything.”

One thing that remains constant for her, however, is the weight of legacy. As the daughter of veteran actors Dharmendra and Hema Malini, expectations have followed her since her debut. Deol, however, doesn’t view it as pressure. “[Nepotism] seems like the new conversation in the industry, but I’ve been here for long. Comparison to your parents, who are legends, is inevitable. From your first film, you need to toughen up and know this is how it will be. [The topic] is used as a weapon now. I grew up in a family filled with dance, culture and movies. I was most comfortable following in my parents’ footsteps and taking up their profession like many others do in different fields.”

Experiment with OTT

Esha Deol, who already has two web series behind her, marvels at how OTT has changed the game. “It allows us to break away from the hero-heroine mould and delve into stories that have depth. It’s such a great time to be back when masala films are thriving and OTT is booming. We have the opportunity to experiment,” she says.

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