Karan Deol: 'I am dreading my grandfather's reaction'

Im finally part of the fraternity says Karan Deolmdashthe third generation of the Deol familymdashas he sits down for a conversation with midday Under the supervision of his father Sunny Deol Karan says it was like film school for him He talks about hailing from a lineage of actors soaring expectations and learning acting from scratchEdited excerpts from the interviewTheres barely a week left for your debut film Has the nervousness settled inIts a mixture of both nervousness and excitement I got tearyeyed when I saw the trailer of my film I am finally a part of the fraternity and thats an emotional moment The mounting expectations are scary The fall is obviously going to hurt more but I dont want to concentrate on that This film is a responsibility and weve worked hard on it I hope people give me a fare chance see me as an individual and not compare me to anyone I havent tried tomimic anyoneWas it a conscious decision not to use your nick name Rocky as your screen nameDad wanted Rocky to be my onscreen name but I insisted on being recognised by my first name Also I associate Rocky with my family so it would be weird if random people started addressing me as RockyMost star kids follow in their parents footsteps Did you always aspire to be an actorAt 18 I was clear that I want to be an actor While dad is understanding and loving I feared him not only because he is strict but out of respect I confided in my mother who acted as a mediator between dad and me I remember telling him about my aspirations and he said Are you sure It is emotionally and mentally challenging During your good moments people will be with you and abandon you as quickly when in trouble But come what may you cant succumb to the pressureAre you professionally trained as an actorI attended several workshops and learnt acting under director Rahul Rawails guidance I had to let go of my inhibitions I did a sixmonth filmmaking course in London I also assisted Sangeeth Sivan director on Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 which was an enriching experience The scripting of Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas started after dad was done with Ghayal Returns To prep for my character who hails from the hills I moved base to Himachal Pradesh for four months I trained in valley crossing rappelling and other mountaineering techniques I camped in the wilderness interacted with locals and grasped the area It wasnt easy to get under the skin of my characterWas it easy for you to keep the fatherson relationship aside while filmingFor 27 years I have only been his son so it was difficult to switch that off Once dad donned the hat of the director he became a hard taskmaster It took me a while to adjust to it but in the hindsight it helped me grow as an actor There were days when I would break down because he wouldnt let go until he was satisfied with the shot Dad doesnt believe in complimenting you either The take is okay or decent it was never good He constantly pushed me to do betterGrowing up was watching Sunnys films a part of your routineYes it was We wouldnt see him often so watching him on the screen was a way to emotionally connect with him On rare occasions Mom and I would travel to his shoots When his character was punched by villains Id start crying At the same time seeing him do action was scary Ifeared that dad was an angry person laughsWhat was it like among peers who knew your lineageNo one told me to recite my fathers dialogues In fact as they were aware that I was a quiet kid they would often intimidate me by pushing me around to check if I would ever behave like his onscreen characters But I didnt let it affect meYour grandfather and father have seen the highs and lows of the film industry has it prepared you the feedback you may receiveIt prepared me to maintain a balanced view There was a phase in my fathers career where he had a back injury which affected the workflow In this industry out of sight is out of mind I have seen him at his most vulnerable state but he is a fighter and emerged out from it Even in the toughest times he had a smile on his faceAre you aware that being a star kid is like a doubleedged swordYes there are people who are eager to pull me down and nitpick on my performance I am aware that this opportunity has come my way because of my father However I have also put in a lot of hard work and dedication Even with all the criticism if my work speaks out I dont think anything else matters I am also aware that I have the privilege that despite the outcome of this film I might get a few more of chances but if I am not good nobody will want to put their money on me More than anyone I am dreading my grandfathers reaction Until I get his stamp of approval nothing else mattersAlso readSunny Deol Wrong notion that people will line up to sign KaranCatch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates