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Sunny Deol, 56, would rather prefer to read about the group of girls who climbed Mount Everest as against the gossips in newspapers. He trusts his instincts and has always backed talent. He is a family man, seeking balance and justice for all. Ahead of his film 'Singh Saab the Great', he talks to TOI about his regret in over- protecting Bobby, his belief in Anil Sharma and why he would never be a friend to his sons. Excerpts:

You have backed many directors, be itImtiaz Ali, Rajkumar Santoshi or Anil Sharma. What makes you do that?

Life is all about your instincts. I have always preferred to work with guys who have that do-or-die spirit in them and who love their job. The first time I turned producer was with Ghayal. Raj Santoshi narratedthe script to me. I don't know why, but the original producer had run away. But I liked the way Raj narrated it. I took him to other producers,
but they did not like the subject. I couldn't understand what was wrong with it as I had liked it a lot. So I took him to Rajasthan, where my dad was shooting and made him hear it. He liked it too and I took his permission to produce it. We then had a lot of people tell us what we needed to change in it to make it work, but we decided to go with our conviction. I always shun people who tell me while narrating that there will be a clap at this point. That's the way I am as I don't want to know how it will turn out to be. I don't believe in manipulation. In fact, I believe in justice and feel that if there is someone who I don't like but he has done something good, he deserves it. The industry does not think the way the audience thinks, but Anilji (Sharma) is a far greater director than 99% of the directors in our industry right now. He may not have a profile like theirs, but his films have a soul.

Anil Sharma says that you don't allow people to b**ch about other people in front of you. Is that true?

I don't like negativity and speaking bad things about people. If it gives you satisfaction, it's fine, but doing it just to boost your own ego is wrong.

Let's talk about your father, Dharamji?

Dad is everything to me. He is a giving father. He is the most good-looking guy who is the best at everything that he does. He is not shy of anything. For him, if something is right, it is right. If something is wrong, it is wrong. I only watched his films. To me, he was and is till date, the best man, actor and the best human being.

How are you as a father?

I am strict. When you tell your child to not do some things, you are called bad, but, actually, you are the right person. You are obviously saying it for his good. If you don't tell him what is wrong, he will grow up and ask you why you did not tell him what was wrong when he was younger. So I just feel whatever you feel is wrong should be corrected right there and then. At the end of the day, a child will take his own decisions. He will say yes in front of you and will, in any case, do whatever he has to behind your back. We have also done that but at least we have to tell them what is wrong. A father needs to bring in that discipline. A father has to be a father. A mother has to be a mother. A friend has to be friend. If a father is going to be a friend, then who will be the father? When a person cannot be a father, he will be a friend. A father will not encourage a child to do what is wrong, whereas a friend would try and understand it.

Dharamji said you will even borrow money to help others.

If I can help anybody, I will. I don't think about the ability to pay back. I just feel that if I don't help him I will feel guilty later.