In a deeply personal interview, the actor revealed how his addiction affected his wife and children, and what finally led him to quit drinking for good.
Bobby Deol, who has received critical acclaim for his recent role in Aryan Khan’s The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, has opened up about his past struggles with alcohol addiction. In a candid chat with entrepreneur Raj Shamani on his podcast, the actor admitted he has been sober for over a year and shared how his addiction deeply affected his family — especially his wife and children.
“They Feared Me When I Drank”
Bobby shared that while he didn’t drink every day, the unpredictability of his behavior while under the influence caused anxiety at home.
“I’m working for my family. And if I see fear and sadness in their eyes… it’s horrible,” he said.
“They just didn’t know how I would be. Only the people closest to you are exposed to that angry and dark side of you.”
The actor admitted that his wife had to bear the brunt of his emotional outbursts.
“For my wife, it was anger, behaving badly, saying stupid things. That’s what alcohol does to you. It messes with your brain,” he explained.
He added that alcohol didn’t bring out the truth — it amplified hidden pain:
“People think alcohol makes you say the truth, but it’s the pain inside you coming out.”
What Finally Made Him Quit
The turning point came when Bobby overheard his son questioning his role in the family:
“One day I heard my son telling my wife, ‘You go out to work every day, but Papa only sits at home.’ That changed everything for me. What kind of father was I being?”
Bobby revealed he was dealing with a tough period professionally and emotionally, which made him retreat into alcohol.
“I started blaming the world for not recognising my worth. I used to be jealous of other actors. But they worked hard. Salman, Shah Rukh, Aamir, Ranbir — they believed in themselves.”
On What Makes Superstars Like SRK & Salman Different
Reflecting on the success of his peers, Bobby said:
“People liked them because they were working hard. Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan are who they are because of their self-belief and hard work.”
He admitted that he had relied too much on his looks and never truly assessed his shortcomings.
“I did not look in the mirror too often to see how I was really appearing.”
In Summary
- Bobby Deol has been sober for over a year after struggling with alcohol addiction.
- He revealed that his family feared his behavior when he drank.
- A comment from his son triggered a deep self-reflection that led him to quit.
- The actor credits self-belief and hard work as the secret behind the success of stars like Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan.
- Bobby’s powerful story serves as an inspiration to many struggling with addiction.
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