English
New York City was in for a treat a few weeks ago when Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn and wife Kajol stopped by to kick off their four-city American promotional tour for Devgn’s upcoming “Shivaay.” The visit was notable, not only because of Devgn’s second directorial feature, but this was the first time the actor has returned in almost a decade and not to mention the honor of catching Devgn and wife Kajol together.
The joint appearance was a welcome opportunity to speak to them about film and family. As both actors mark almost 25 years of experience in the industry each—a milestone only a handful of couples in Bollywood reach—it seemed only appropriate to let them speak for themselves.
Here, in their own words, they explain their thoughts on directing, collaborating, back-breaking “Shivaay” stunts, and more.
Ajay Devgn: “Because of my family [Ajay is the son of famed action director Veeru Devgan], the only choice for me was to eventually be in films. The specific choice of acting, I’m not so sure about! I was pushed into it. My first film was a hit, so I became an actor. Otherwise, I had simply been enjoying college, enjoying life.”
Kajol: “My debut was even more by chance. I always thought my mother worked too hard and I used to tell her that I was going to get a proper job with a stable paycheck. I then happened to go to a photoshoot with my cousin who wanted to join films. I was there simply for moral support, but the photographer encouraged me to take a few pictures myself, and the director on set [Rahul Rawail] then offered me a film! It just evolved from there.”
Devgn: “Direction is something I wanted to do before even acting. As a kid, I used to make my own films, my own sets, my own trolleys and cranes. I was more into that and less into acting. Directing comes much more easily to me than acting.”
Kajol: “Ajay was an assistant director before becoming an actor, and he’s just happier directing. I, however, will never make a film. I don’t have the temperament for it. I’m purely an actor, and I think that to be a director or a producer, you’re really asking for an ulcer!”
Devgn: “Despite its title, ‘Shivaay’ isn’t a religious movie. I wouldn’t even call it an action film—at least, the action isn’t there just for the sake of it. Yes, we did have an action team from Germany, we shot in Bulgaria, and we brought in actors and crew from all over the world. There is scale, but I’d say it’s ultimately an emotional drama and a performance-based film. The connect between the characters inspired me to make it.”
Kajol: “I think when audiences will see that when they watch the film. It doesn’t look like there are different crews at work. People won’t look at the non-Indian actresses and think they’re somehow out of place. It’s all part of the script, and the way Ajay has directed it, it all comes together seamlessly. But it required a lot from him. It took him two years to make ‘Shivaay,’ putting everything down on paper. He barely spent time with the family.”
Devgn: “At first, I didn’t have a choice when it came to doing my own stunts. People expected that of me because of my father. Over the years, I’ve come to enjoy doing them. But I will admit, I have this fear of heights, and never have I had to try and overcome it more than I did during ‘Shivaay,’ where so many of the stunts involved me hanging off mountains. There were many times I thought, ‘I don’t want to do this!’ But the director in me said, ‘Come on, what are you afraid of?’ So I just went for it.”
Kajol: “I’m okay with it as long as he assures me that he’ll be coming home in one piece at the end of the day!”
Devgn: “It’s easy directing Kajol because she understands the character. I’m not just saying it because she’s my wife but I think she’s one of the best actresses we’ve had in our country. She’s also not the type of person who’s too bothered about how she’s looking on screen. So many actors are more occupied with their appearance, and makeup, and they end up not looking honest on screen. Makeup covers all the expressions, and expression is the beauty. Kajol’s more concerned about whether her performance is right and whether she’s feeling the character, and that makes all the difference.”
Kajol: “Back when we were doing the promotions for ‘U Me Aur Hum,’ I remember people coming up to me and saying, ‘you’re doing a film with your husband; are you going to be biased?’ But I can’t be more clear about the fact that he’s one of the finest directors I have ever worked with. My dad was in the hospital when we were shooting that film, and there was a lot of stress at home, but by no indication did that ever come across on screen or affect our shoot. Nobody would have called Ajay a first-time director then. And now, ‘Shivaay’ is several notches even higher than that. As a fellow actor and an observer, I’ve seen that growth in Ajay.”
Devgn: “I’m not really sure what it means to create a difference in the world or make an impact. For me, it comes down to entertaining people, which doesn’t necessarily mean just making them laugh. It’s about touching them in some way. I think ‘Shivery’ will do that. But I also just produced a film called ‘Parched,’ which is all about celebrating women. It had no finances at first, but I really believed it should be made, so I decided to back it. When we make films like this, I don’t know if we can make a difference, but we can definitely start a conversation.”
Kajol: “For me, being involved with charity organizations is part of evolving as a person. You just can’t be two-dimensional all your life or concentrating on just one thing. You have to specifically pay attention to other aspects of yourself so that you can grow. Charity is part of it, making films like ‘Parched’ is part of it. I feel that people with celebrity [status] do have a social responsibility, but I don’t believe it can be forced onto you. It can’t, and shouldn’t, be part of a publicity stunt.”
Devgn: “The bottom line is, you speak and act from your heart, you’ll be okay.”
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