Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor And Sunny Deol: No longer 'The Expendables

Three Bollywood actors; two pure pedigree, one semi, were expendable until a few years ago. But like it’s said and accepted in Bollywood, when that one Friday turns in your favour, you go straight from avoidable to saleable.

This is exactly what is happening with Sunny Deol, Sanjay Dutt and Anil Kapoor. These three are edging close to 70—Anil is 69; Sunny is 68 and Sanjay is 67 years of age. All of them began their careers in the 80s. After four-and-a-half decades, they can still hold the bull by its horns. Also, none of them come cheap. While Sanjay reportedly takes home anything between 15-25 cr (or a share in the profits, as the case may be); Sunny allegedly charges 35-40 cr (on a good day); and rumours have it that when Anil wanted to decline a film, he supposedly asked for 18 cr. In other words, his fee, like Deol and Dutt, is definitely more.

1. The lion still roars: Sanjay Dutt

How did they script this success? Exhibitor Raju Bansal, who is also a close friend of Dutt, says, “For Dutt, momentum started after KGF-2 (2022), where he played the antagonist, Adheera. The film was an ATBB (all-time blockbuster). And Dutt became hot property as the villain down South. Not only did they pay him mega-bucks, they also treated him like Bollywood royalty. When it comes to style and persona on screen, Sanju is unmatchable. His role in Dhurandhar Part 1 & 2 just made him hotter. There has been turning back for him after that.”

Trade portals have written that post-Covid, the actor has collectively enjoyed a box office of 3000 crores. Be it K.G.F: Chapter 2 (2022), Jawaan (2023), Leo (2023) and Dhurandhar (two parts), he’s being seen as pivotal to these tentpole films. At the launch of the recent Raja Shivaji trailers in Marathi and Hindi, the film producer and CEO of Jio Studios was heard calling Dutt a “lucky charm.” Surely the 67-year-old actor, first-born of Sunil Dutt and Nargis, who launched his next ambitious venture, Khalnayak Returns, on April 24, needs no further validation.

PS: Of the 11 odd films done by Sanjay Dutt in the last four years—some like The Bhootnii (2025), The Raja Saab (2026), and Baaghi 4 (2025)—have bitten the dust. But no one is complaining because, in a place where numbers are respected more than people, the collections from his blockbusters are mammoth. And the losses are cleverly swept under the carpet.

2. His dhai-kilo-ka-haath is legendary: Sunny Deol

Sunny Deol, son of Dharmendra, as he was introduced in the opening credits of Border 2, that releases on the Republic Day weekend this year, is another one who is laughing all the way to the bank these days. Producer-distributor-exhibitor N R Pachisia, who has made Ziddi (1997), Arjun Pandit (1999) and Jo Bole So Nihaal (2005), calls it the actor’s golden period and adds, “There are franchises like Gaddar and Border which only Sunny can headline. He’s gargantuan in these films.”

Bhushan Kumar, Managing Director of T-Series and the man with one of the deepest pockets in Bollywood, also expressed a similar sentiment about his lead actor, Deol, while promoting Border 2. He told us, “Sunny Sir is the ‘heart’ and the pillar of our film, Border 2,” adding, “he is also the main box-office draw.”

With one all-time blockbuster, Gadar 2 (2023), which collected 525.45, and one super-hit Border 2 (2026), that collected 341.70, Sunny resurrected himself.

Though he walks with a slight droop these days, no one doubts the power of this 68-year-old’s punch. Aamir Khan has promised to release the tentatively titled Lahore 1947 aka Batwara 1947 on Independence Day this year. Films like Jatt 2 and Joseph, Ramayana are under production.

PS: Some of Deol’s films like Chup: Revenge of the Artist (2022) and Jatt (2025) fell short of the magic figure. However, today it is convenient to magnify his hits and minimise his flops because this Punjab da asli puttar is back in the ring.

3. Jhakaas then, Jhakaas now: Anil Kapoor

Anil Kapoor’s career graph has outrun that of many star sons. Of all the expendables, the Slumdog Millionaire (2008) actor redirected his own career path when he went to Hollywood and did the OTT series 24 (2013) and even a miss-if-you-blink appearance in Mission Impossible: The Ghost Protocol (2011). On home ground, he aged gracefully and moved into senior parts when he played Priyanka Chopra’s dad in Dil Dhadakne Do (2015). And unlike his contemporaries, Deol and Dutt, this Kapoor never slid into oblivion. He was relevant in many films and franchises like Welcome (2007), Welcome Back (2015), Animal (2023) and Fighter (2024), etc.

Director Suresh Triveni, who directed Kapoor in the OTT original film Subedaar (2026), said, “On set, Anil ji was a zealous and disciplined actor. He’s a legend for a reason. He loves his work and I loved directing him.”

His elder brother, producer Boney Kapoor, also agrees that “Anil is to the movies born; films are his heartbeat.”

He was one of the first Indian actors after Amitabh Bachchan to protect his personality rights.

PS: Sometimes films like War 2 (2025) and Savi (2024) have let the actor down with their shoddy scripts and underwritten parts for him. However, Anil has not let anything keep him down for long. As he returns with another season of 24 this month, his audience is all set to welcome him back into their drawing rooms.