Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 30, 2015)

Ajay Devgn, who is known for his comic timing and his brooding, intense performances, now wants to be taken seriously as a romantic hero too. He has given the nod to an unusual love story written by Anees Bazmee, who will also direct the film.

"I represent the common man and look like one too. So I can't play a Jumping Jack who looks like a Greek God. When I pranced around with a beautiful woman in a love song, the men in the audience felt the woman on screen was out of their reach, which is why romantic films never worked for me," reasons Ajay.

The exception was Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha in '98, a remake of the Meg Ryan-Kevin Kline starrer, French Kiss. Anees Bazmee, who made his directorial debut with the action thriller, Hulchul, featuring Ajay and Kajol, remembers that when he offered the couple this love story, they laughed him off.

"Ajay wondered if I'd lost my mind. How could I expect him to play a thief who stole from the leading lady and she still fell in love with him? He came on board, hesitantly, constantly telling me the film would not work. It was a superhit," Anees reminisces with a laugh.

Four years later, the duo collaborated on a psychological thriller, Deewangee, inspired by the Hollywood film, Primal Fear, with Ajay stepping into Richard Gere's shoes. "So when I thought of a film with Ajay, I presented him with a crime thriller. In fact, over the last three years, I have narrated half-a-dozen stories to him and he turned them all down, finally telling me that he wanted to do a romance along the lines of Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha and I should write one keeping him in mind," says Anees.

He obliged, and this time got the go-ahead from Ajay. After Welcome Back, Anees will take a break from direction but will put three films scripted by him on the floors. The first is the love story featuring Ajay, the second a comedy and the third a crime thriller. Confirming this, Ajay adds, "Anees was a well-known screenplay writer in the '90s. We did three films together. I've rejected many more projects than what I have filmed with him. But we will do a film together soon. He has approached me with some great scripts and I have finalised one."