ajay devgn
Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; April 25, 2022)

He made a smooth landing as an action star 31 years ago. Ever since, Ajay Devgn has steered his career in different directions — exploring genres, new territories, a range of roles, and basically, chalking his own flight path. The actor, with a vision and talent that gives him wings to fly, is all set for the release ofhis next, Runway 34, this week. The film, where he will be seen as a pilot, is also produced and directed by him. Ajay talks to us about the changing times in cinema and how we need to step up, rethink and even re-route our plans if that’s what it takes to move ahead. Sit back and read on…

In recent times, we have seen you portray real-life characters with a lot of conviction and finesse. When it comes to such parts, you can only take a certain amount of creative liberty, as you can’t really create your own world, but instead inhabit the one that has existed. Would you say that it’s far more challenging, and it comes with a degree of risk?
Yes, there are lines drawn and it is challenging. For instance, in a film like Runway 34, I know that I can’t break into a song any time I like. The challenge is good in a way because you know that you can’t miss a beat. You are stuck in a line and you have to follow that and be as creative as possible within that space. Yes, there is a risk and we have to get it right as there is a lot of dignity attached to such characters. Runway 34 is inspired by true events, but of course, it is dramatized for the movie. It was an incident that happened in 2015, we followed the basics, but didn’t get into the backstory of the characters, we created our own. When you have a great story to tell, you just go ahead with it.

Sometimes, facts are stranger than fiction, and suddenly, you read and hear about something and realise that we couldn’t have thought of something like this in the purely fiction space, so that makes it very interesting.

In the past, you have spoken about how you don’t delve too deep into a role as a part of prep, instead, you try to get the feel of the character and just dive in. Has that trait in you changed, especially given that you have been bringing real-life characters (like Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior and Bhuj: The Pride Of India) alive on screen?
That has not changed really. Maybe my concentration has increased, but my prep time is the same. I think about the character, feel it and then it all comes automatically. That is the process I have always followed. I know that there is another way of doing this, some people get into method acting, and there is nothing wrong with that. To each his own. I prefer this process as I like being spontaneous. If I get into a certain method and rehearse a part too much, I believe I will lose my spontaneity. It will start seeming fake to me, and I will stop feeling. I don’t want that to happen.

After U Me Aur Hum and Shivaay, this is the third venture that will see you as a director, actor and producer. When you switch between these extremely demanding roles and responsibilities, what mind space are you in? Does it totally consume you?
I have a great team, and also, I am never a producer on the set. I just shoot my film the way I have planned it. On the set of this film, I was more of a director than an actor. As an actor, too, I was clear about what I am going to do. If you have clarity on what you want to achieve every day at work, then it’s all about the hard work that happens on set, even when you are playing these multiple roles.

You have worked with Amitabh Bachchan previously on various projects as a co-actor, but what was it like to give him commands like ‘action’ and ‘cut’? Is there anything new that you learnt about him as a director on this project?
We share a great rapport, and he’s always an inspiration. When he is on set, he does not move from his mark. Even when I would tell him that I needed half an hour for lighting, and that he could go back to his van, he would say, “No, I will sit here.” He would sit on his mark, keep rehearsing and stay in character. If he is supposed to start shooting at 11 am, he is on set at 9 am, and then there is panic amongst the crew. The kind of effort he puts in is outstanding. At his age, he has health issues, but when he walks on set, he is younger than you, quicker than you and is completely prepared, even if he has 20 pages of lines. He inspires you to direct him. It’s like the frame changes when he comes in front of the camera. He never questions you as the director and if you have imagined something, the result is far better than you expected.

Talking about your recent films, we saw you in Gangubai Kathiawadi, in a brief but extremely impactful role. In RRR, too, you had a cameo, but even S S Rajamouli stressed during interviews that your character was as important as the leading parts…
(Cuts in…) Thinking about the length of your character in a film is an outdated thought now. You need to come in and make an impact, that’s all. That’s what happens in Hollywood. It’s changing here, too, and I think people will start doing that more.

Do you see superstars in Bollywood teaming up for films like we have seen in the past?
It should happen (smiles).

You have collaborated with filmmakers from the South. Lately, there have been in-depth discussions on how South cinema is doing phenomenally well and how Bollywood needs to up its game. Your thoughts?
It boils down to the numbers. And the numbers in the south are really huge. If you were to analyse it — look at the number of theatres across north centres as compared to the South markets. Their reach (South) is a lot more. We know of probably four films from the South which have worked, but there are several that have also not done as well. What also works for them is that they manage to promote their films better as there is a lot of unity there, and unity in every way. Even the stars there are unified, from what I have seen as an outsider and my interactions with them. They are united, and they work as one force, not for a particular film, but for the industry.

There is also a lot of talk about how we (as in India) need to project ourselves as one big film industry…
I agree, we should do that. It should be the Indian film industry and not Bollywood, Tollywood, etc.

To achieve that, what needs to change?
We need to be more open-minded and break the divide between South and North, and start working together. We need to do more multi-star cast films with people from across film industries. That is the way to go.

In the thick of the pandemic, there was a cloud of doubt amongst many about whether theatres will be able to get back on their feet again? Did you ever have such fears?
Never! I know that OTT is here to stay, but the theatrical experience is something else, and that cannot change. The difference is that today your film has to be a theatrical experience like Runway 34 is. There are some films that are good stories, and you might prefer to watch them on OTT. So, to draw audiences to the theatres, you have to start making films which will be a theatrical experience for them. That is what has changed today.

Do you think that the rise of OTT has changed the dynamics of stardom and the way it has been perceived for ages? And also eased the pressure off actors who are constantly expected to deliver at the box office?
The pressure has not eased. Look, it was never about getting work because if your films worked or didn’t, there was always some work. It’s about how you maintain your quality, and that pressure will always be there. With OTT coming in, that pressure has gone up as we have a new generation of great actors who have come in. And it’s not about competing with them or about stardom, but when you see them perform so well, you feel the need to pull up your socks. So that’s a good thing. If we step up, we will move with the times, else we will become redundant. If we sit back and say, ‘I know how to do this and I know everything’, then we can’t move ahead. You have to see how the newer actors are performing, and they come really, really well-prepared. We were not so prepared when we came into the industry. Today, the mindset has changed, and this generation is far more evolved. What we were thinking at 18, they are thinking at 10. The sensibilities have changed, and the audience has so much more exposure to international content now, so you can’t mess up with the quality of your content.