Ashwini Deshmukh tells you why Ajay Devgn is a superstar for all seasons
H
e’s self-confessedly
uncomfortable
around people.
There’s no obvious
attempt to stay
in the news or play to
the gallery either. Nor
is there any insecurity
about competition. He’d
rather let his work do the
talking. Three decades
in the industry and Ajay
Devgn continues to enjoy
the trust of filmmakers and
the loyalty of his fans. His
latest film, director Akiv
Ali’s romantic comedy
De De Pyaar De, minted
money at the box-office.
A story about a 50-year-
old man, who falls in love
with a 25-year-old girl, this
Luv Ranjan production
was lapped up by the
audience. Ajay had no
qualms about playing his
age in the film. “I try my
best to play my age on
screen. You’ll never see me
playing a 25-year-old,” he
says adding, “Also, the age
of us actors is no longer aHI T
MACHINE
secret in today’s time. Our
birthdays are celebrated by
the media and fans.”
He debuted as an action
star in Phool Aur Kaante
(1991) and since then
many films have cashed in
on his rugged appeal. But
even when he attempts
romance, he has a million
hearts melting. Like in
De De Pyaar De. Says he,
“The story is new-age and
in sync with the times.
The women characters
are strong. The film has
a good message and is
entertaining.” Tabu and he
go a long way beginning
from the musical Vijaypath
(1994). “With Tabu,
there’s a comfort level. We
understand each other and
we can say anything to
each other. Our chemistry
works on screen too,” he
claims. He praises his
young co-star Rakul Preet
Singh for doing justice
to her modern character,
someone who’s both
intelligent and indulgent.WE’RE NOW
CONSCIOUS OF GOOD
SCRIPTS. EARLIER, EVEN
WHEN WE DID EIGHT
FILMS... WOH FILMEIN
CHAL JAATI THI. NOW
THE AUDIENCES DON’T
ACCEPT JUST ABOUT
ANYTHING. SO, WE’RE
CONCENTRATING ON
CREATING A QUALITY
PRODUCTTabu and Ajay Devgn in De De Pyaar DeAjay’s glad that mature
characters are written in
cinema now. “Trust me,
be it Akshay (Kumar)
or Salman (Khan) or
whoever else, none of us
have a problem with our
age. Earlier, whatever the
age of the hero, he had
to sing and dance and
romance a young girl. All
that has changed today,”
he observes. In Golmaal
Again, where he was
paired with Parineeti
Chopra, a lot of digs were