Give me a chopper or else...!

Komal Nahta

Sunny Deol sure is a high-flying star.

No, don't get me wrong. None of his recent films have clicked in a big way.

High-flying, simply because the Punjab da putar insists on having a helicopter booked for him, if there's no aeroplane service to the shooting location!

Recently, the hassled producer of Maa Tujhe Salaam had to hire a helicopter to transport Sunny from New Delhi to Kulu Manali for the film's last shooting schedule. Although that meant being poorer by a few lakh, producer Mahendra Dhariwal had little choice.

He feared that Sunny might not report for the shooting if his demand was not met. So Sunny flew from New Zealand to New Delhi by plane and then to Kulu Manali in a chopper.

Dimple Kapadia accompanied the actor in New Zealand as well as Kulu. But due to the cold weather in the Indian hill-station, she spent most of her time in the hotel room itself.

Anyway, Sunny was quite professional after the 'copter ride and completed his work in the fortnight-long schedule. Now, only a song and some patchwork scenes remain to be shot.

And yes, Sunny's demand for a 'copter to fly him and Dimple back to Delhi was politely declined by Dhariwal because he was 'broke'!

So although Sunny drove down to New Delhi in a Mercedes, the producer's man is still waiting in Kulu Manali, ten days after the shooting stint is over, and waiting for money to reach him from Bombay to pay the bills!