In the last five years, actor Ajay Devgn has had the kind of run at the box office few others can boast of. From a comedy like Bol Bachchan (2012) to a full-blown action film like Singham (2011), most of his movies have been mass entertainers.
At the recently held trailer launch of his
upcoming film — Sajid Khan’s Himmatwala — the hundreds of fans gathered outside Gaiety theatre in Bandra to catch a glimpse of the Bollywood star, proves the kind of fan following the man has gathered over the years.
Amidst the madness, we caught up with him for a chat.
Are you the ultimate crowd puller?
I wouldn’t say that. Sometimes you make the right decisions, do the right films and it works. In the last four to five years, I’ve kept this in mind — that whatever films I do, the crowd should be entertained. If that’s your mindset, you’ll obviously do films people will enjoy. Even if the film is not very good, they will enjoy it. And if it is fabulous, it becomes a super hit.And you’re now working with Sajid, who’s always made films for the masses.He (Sajid) doesn’t claim to be a director who wants four stars (ratings) for his movies.
What is great cinema at the end of the day?
If you can entertain people, then you’ve made great cinema. That’s what we are following. You’re dancing in this film — that’s a side of you that people are eager to watch. Dancing makes me nervous, but I was comfortable with what I was doing. Among acting, action and dancing, the last one is the toughest.
You’re working with a new actress in this project?
Usually I’m very critical and it’s rare that I like someone else’s performance. But honestly, Tamannaah has done a fabulous job. Also, she’s not new. She’s done many films in the south; she has experience. I think she was comfortable because we were shooting in her territory (in Hyderabad) for the longest time.