It was suicidal to go against the norm, says Abhay Deol about his career

Mumbai: He comes from the clan of Deols, who are known to be mass actors but Abhay Deol, who took the road less travelled by doing off-beat films, says it was not easy to go against the norm. “I think I have done something that is different not only from what my family has been doing or did but also from what the industry is doing. I feel it is unfair to compare me with my family alone and not with other actors,” Abhay told PTI. [caption id=“attachment_485925” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Abhay Deol. Reuters[/caption] “People used to tell me that I was doing wrong and that I will reach nowhere. I went against the norm. It was a commercial suicide,” he said reflecting on his film journey. Today the 36-year-old actor has created a niche of himself and for which he says he had to revolt. “I did not want to make it a revolt, but it became one. I did not want to rebel. I think in the industry there is not much importance given to individuality but to packaging. If the package is right like from song, dance, six pack abs, big stars then it is correct and there is safety,” Abhay said. “When big actors or producers or directors come together for a film there is some safety. But I did not have any safety as the subjects of the films were off beat, characters were new, directors and producers were new. I decided that I will not do formula films. I wanted realism, relatibility. And it had nothing to do with my family…the industry,” he said. He made his debut with Imtiaz Ali’s Socha Na Tha and went on to do off beat films like Ek Chalis Ki Last Local, Manorama Six Feet Under, Ahista Ahista and Road among others. PTI