Snehashish roy
Sunny Deol gave fans an unexpected dose of nostalgia during the Kolkata promotions of his upcoming film Batwara 1947 when he recreated a popular dialogue from the Hindi version of the animated series Oggy and the Cockroaches. The veteran actor’s spontaneous performance quickly went viral, with fans celebrating the unusual crossover between his iconic voice and one of India’s most popular cartoons.
Deol was in Kolkata as part of the nationwide promotional tour for Batwara 1947, alongside director Rajkumar Santoshi and members of the film’s cast. During an interaction with fans at the event, one audience member asked the actor to recreate a dialogue from Oggy and the Cockroaches, which had originally been dubbed in a voice resembling Deol’s distinctive style.
The fan specifically requested the line, “Oye main papa hoon, duniya ka papa,” asking Deol to deliver it in his trademark manner. Deol initially appeared surprised by the request and admitted that he had not watched the animated show. After the fan explained the dialogue, however, the actor decided to give it a shot.
Deol then recreated the line in his characteristic deep and forceful voice, adding Hindi and Punjabi variations to the delivery. The audience responded with loud cheers, and videos of the moment quickly began circulating on social media.
The moment was particularly amusing for Indian fans because the character Jack in the Hindi version of Oggy and the Cockroaches became widely associated with a voice mimicking Sunny Deol. The actor himself was not the original voice artist for the character. Instead, the Hindi dub used a voice artist who imitated Deol’s recognisable delivery, turning the connection into a memorable piece of Indian pop culture.
The animated series, created by Jean-Yves Raimbaud, originally premiered internationally in 1998. It began airing in India on Nickelodeon in 2009 before moving to Cartoon Network in 2012. The Indian version became particularly popular for its Bollywood-inspired voice performances, with Jack’s voice deliberately evoking Deol’s famous screen persona.
Fans on social media quickly embraced the crossover. Several users expressed disbelief at seeing Deol recreate a line that had become famous through an imitation of his own voice. Others joked about the timing, with one fan saying the moment was so unexpected that they could “die peacefully”. Another joked about getting Sunny Deol to deliver the line before the release of GTA VI.
Some fans also connected the moment to Deol’s upcoming role as Lord Hanuman in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana. Social media users imagined the actor delivering his trademark action-film dialogues while playing Hanuman, turning the cartoon reference into another round of memes.
The viral moment comes as Deol has been travelling across India to promote Batwara 1947, a period drama set against the backdrop of the Partition of 1947. Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan, the film stars Deol alongside Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Karan Deol, Ali Fazal and Abhimanyu Singh.
The film follows Sikander Mirza, played by Deol, who moves to newly created Pakistan during Partition and encounters a Hindu woman, played by Shabana Azmi, who remains in his new home. The story explores the human cost of Partition, as tensions rise and Deol’s character becomes responsible or protecting her.