Abhay Deol is 3X richer than cousins Sunny & Bobby despite 14 flops. Here's how he built his Rs 400 crore fortune

Dharmendra's son Sunny Deol and Bobb Deol are known for several blockbusters including Border, Gadar, Ghayal, Damini, Gupt, Soldier or Barsaat, but they are not the richest in the Deol family. The richest among the family is their cousin Zindagi na Milega Dobara star Kabir Dewan or Abhay Deol. Abhay Deol’s net worth, estimated at ₹400 crore, is reported to be three times higher than that of his more commercially successful cousins Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. According to the report from Lifestyle Asia and Medium, the actor achieved his fortune despite 14 flops on screen.

Abhay Deol Richest among the cousins

Estimates place Abhay Deol’s wealth at about ₹400 crore in 2023-24. Sunny Deol, who has had recent commercial successes with Gadar 2 and Jaat, reportedly has a net worth of ₹120 crore. Bobby Deol, whose career saw a resurgence with Animal, has an estimated ₹70 crore. Together, the senior Deols’ net worth does not match Abhay’s reported fortune.

Abhay, often regarded in the industry as part of the “parallel cinema” space, has managed to build his wealth despite having far fewer commercial blockbusters than his cousins.

Abhay Deol's Career

Abhay began his acting career in 2005 with Imtiaz Ali’s Socha Na Tha. Over two decades, he has appeared in 23 more films and four web series. While most of his films have underperformed commercially — with 14 reported flops or box office failures — a few have attained cult status over time.

His notable hits include Dev D, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, and Raanjhana. The last two were ensemble films that benefited from star-studded casts. Other projects such as Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, Shanghai, and Ek Chalis Ki Last Local received critical appreciation and later developed strong followings despite limited box office performance.

In recent years, much of Abhay’s acting income — estimated at about ₹10 crore annually — has come from streaming platforms. His most recent major role was in the critically acclaimed 2023 Netflix mini-series Trial By Fire, co-starring Rasika Deshpande.

Abhay Deol's Business beyond films: restaurants, production, and real estate

A major factor behind Abhay’s financial success is his work outside cinema. Early in his career, he co-founded The Fatty Cow, a restaurant chain that became commercially successful. He also owns Forbidden Films, a production company.

Abhay’s real estate portfolio is another contributor to his wealth. He purchased a home in Mumbai for ₹27 crore, which is now worth more due to rising property prices. In addition to this residence, he owns other properties in Mumbai and Punjab, as well as an eco-friendly glass house in Goa.

These ventures have reportedly contributed more to his net worth than his film work.

Despite his wealth, Abhay has often spoken about staying away from the limelight. In a 2022 interview with ETimes, he shared his perspective on money and fame:

“I was never enamoured by fame, because money doesn’t bring you happiness. Satisfaction comes from being who you are and having the freedom to do what you want to. That could be making small films, because they speak to you and they represent you with authenticity. That’s worth more than any money in the world, any amount of fame.”