Sunny said, "As you know, our family hails from Punjab. We have immense love for Punjab. And also these awards for the Punjabi Film Industry. Last year, my father (Dharmendra) was here to inaugurate the awards, this year I have come." Sunny, who was unfortunately delayed and actually reached Mohali only about an hour and a half into the awards event, nevertheless receive a rousing welcome from the audience.
The kind of popularity Sunny enjoys in the Punjab, a strong role in a Punjabi film produced by PTC could well be a confirmed ticket to blockbuster success. Sources say the PTC brass is delighted that Sunny Deol, who is a truly iconic star amongst Punjabi audiences, is keen to act in a good Punjabi film produced by the PTC Network.
An industry watcher says,"Of course, they will offer him a great film concept, and if Sunny paaji goes ahead, it will be a big hit, because the PTC network is a huge platform to promote Punjabi films to Punjabi audiences not just in India, but worldwide."
Interestingly, a media report quoting PTC Network Promoter & CEO Rajiee M Shinde says the PTC network has already been in talks with and signed the Number One star of Punjabi Films, singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh, for their first film. Dosanjh also co-presented their Punjabi Film Awards this year with top standup comedy actor Kapil Sharma, and performed at the event.
He won the popular Best Actor award for Jatt And Juliet, the biggest Punjabi blockbuster amongst the 24 films released in 2012. Interestingly, the film also won the popular Best Actress, Best Director and Best Film Awards.
Sunny Deol also presented the PTC Punjabi Film Lifetime Achievement Awards for 2013 along Raveena Tandon and PTC's Rajiee M Shinde and R Narayan, to two other icons of Punjabi entertainment, Dara Singh, and Jaspal Bhatti. Deol and Raveena Tandon presented the awards to Vindu Dara Singh and Savita Jaspal Bhatti (his widow) respectively.