Twenty-four years and running, Ajay Devgn talks about his journey in Bollywood so far, his process of acting and why it’s unfair to compare him to Mohanlal or Kamal Haasan who featured in the Malayalam and Tamil versions of Drishyam.
Q: In the recent past we have seen you doing roles that were physically intense. In this film you are playing a common man. Is it challenging to play a role that didn’t call for action?
Ajay Devgn: The role was both difficult and easy. He is a common man. He may not be physically strong but mentally he is stronger than any Singham. The way he beats the whole system and law to protect his own family is commendable. It is difficult to find a script that’s superb and commercially viable at the same time. Such films may not open very strong but they are carried through because of word of mouth. Though I haven’t seen the original Drishyam, the screenplay was brilliant enough to prompt me to do the film.
Q: What kind of film is Drishyam?
Ajay: It’s a difficult film to explain. Everybody loves their family but they may not deal with it as intelligently as this character. How and to what length anyone can go to protect his family without physically fighting anyone is the basis of this story. If he is getting beaten also in the film, that’s his plan.
The difference between the other version and the Hindi script is that we have made it more urban. We have enhanced the drama and tightened the script but the basics remain the same. Our film is approximately half an hour shorter than the other two versions.
Q: There are bound to be comparisons between you, Mohanlal and Kamal Haasan as to who essayed the role better. Is there any pressure on that level and whether the film will work in Hindi?
Ajay: There is no pressure. I don’t take Mohanlal and Kamal Haasan as competition. They are senior artistes with much more experience, awards and films under their belt. I didn’t want to get influenced so I didn’t watch the film. They are fabulous versatile actors who have been working for 35 years plus. Comparison with them isn’t fair.
The film is tried and tested three times and has worked every time so it’s good for us. We remake some films purely because they are fab stories and we want the non-South film watching audience to see it as well. It is a tribute to the director. I always praise the original director’s vision when I am doing a remake.
Q: How did you prepare for this role? Does playing a troubled character leave its mark on you after you are done acting?
Ajay: I don’t prepare myself as an actor. I go and do exactly what I need to on the set. I discuss with my director as to what he needs from me prior to the shoot but I can’t rehearse. If you ask me to rehearse it will never work. Whoever has worked with me knows it’s best to let me act during the take.
I don’t mug my lines. I understand and read my lines and say it the way I feel. People tend to learn. I never get into the characters. I play them during the take and once the director calls cut, I am out of it. I become the character only in the take so it doesn’t disturb me. During the take it might.
Q: But you have done dialogue heavy films like Once Upon a Time in Mumbai. Would you not remember the lines then too?
Ajay: If you are ok with the language, it’s not very difficult to mouth those dialogues. I imbibe the language and speak. The new generation has a bit of trouble with Hindi as they speak in English mostly. We also do that but I am familiar with Urdu words.
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Q: Who plays a better cop – you in Singham or Tabu in Drishyam?
Ajay: They are two different characters. Tabu has shades of grey while Singham didn’t. Tabu is neither positive nor completely negative and that’s the same with my character in Drishyam.
Q: Earlier you have romanced Tabu and now it’s a different equation with her in this film. Do you feel she has changed?
Ajay: Tabu has become a very mature, intense and fabulous actor. The experience was fun since we were doing something different as opposed to romancing in the earlier film we did together.
Q: The first look of your film Shivay was released long ago.
Ajay: People release the first look in advance in Hollywood too. We don’t do it here. Here people are only interested in finishing a film soon and then doing hectic promotions just before the release. We decided on this strategy for Shivay. My mind is completely occupied with Shivay right now and a lot of work is going on that.
Q: Is there a film you have signed post Shivay?
Ajay: There will be a film titled Badshah.
Q: It’s been a long journey since Phool Aur Kante. How do you feel?
Ajay: It’s been 24 good years. The time has flown so fast when someone tells me it’s been 24 years, I don’t believe it. I think good times fly. I have been lucky. Every time I had a flop, there was a success to maintain the balance. There was no year except 2 years in my career when I didn’t have a hit. I have been lucky.
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