I don't take clashes seriously: Ajay Devgn

I don't take clashes seriously

Ajay Devgn's evolving and it shows. He hasn't let the clash with a Ranbir Kapoor-starrer affect him

Upala KBR

Anyone who has interviewed Ajay Devgn a few times is mentally prepared for his short, succinct replies to the questions. There's no beating around the bush. Ajay has just returned from location-hunting in Bulgaria, followed by a brief holiday in London with Kajol and their children Nysa and Yug. I caught up with him in his Juhu office. Here, he talks about his next release Drishyam, the Salman-Shah Rukh dosti, Karan Johar and his own passion for technology.

Let's talk about Drishyam...

I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping it opens well. When you get a script like Drishyam, it throws away all the insecurities of the box-office, because you are aware that it will not get a great opening because it does not have masala, songs and the typical commercial elements that the usual potboilers have. It's a word-of-mouth film like Piku,which picked up after the third show. I am just keeping my fingers crossed that Drishyam will do well from the first show.

Were there insecurities about whether you should do a film like this?

Yes, insecurities do crop up because people expect a certain kind of opening from you. But only a few sensible people realise that Drishyam is not that kind of a film which will get that. That is why we made it on a budget of '40-45 crore so that in India at least, the producers make their money.

Has the '100-crore club affected your choices while signing a film?

Yes, the '100 crore expectation has definitely influenced my choices while signing films. Because of that reason, today, we get scared of looking at films like Drishyam. But now with the audience evolving, there's hope that these kind of films may do that kind of business too. I think this whole business of '100-crore is not so important anymore. We are evolving beyond that. People have started experimenting and thinking about doing something different. When the audience starts accepting such films, we actors feel more comfortable signing them. What is the point doing a film nobody is going to watch?

You have won two national awards. Are you expecting to a do a hattrick with Drishyam?

What? No! (laughs) I just want it to do well! I am sure the film will be appreciated and the audiences will love Drishyam but my only hesitation that they go in after the first day to find out how the film is so the opening may not be so great. I want them to go in from the first day. After a long time there was no anxiety of the Friday pressure because we know that Drishyam may not have a great opening, but I am trying my best to make an effort that even that happens. If a film like Drishyam takes a big opening, it can change the face of cinema because then people will attempt better films like this. Now you don't attempt films like Drishyam with big stars because the values are high, you expect a lot of collections so big stars, including me, don't attempt such films.

Ever thought of playing a

superhero? Especially for your children?

My children have never asked me and in any case in today's films most characters are like superheroes only. In Singham and in Dabangg, Bajirao Singham and Chulbul Pandey are superheroes only. They do the same thing that you see in Avengers, beating up 10 men at the same time (laughs). In India the gap between the average hero and the super hero is too small. The heroes have superhero powers. They hit one punch and 25 fall down. Most of us have done such roles. But now things are changing, so we have to

be smarter.

Karan Johar announced the release of Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt starrer, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (on December 16) the day booked by you. So it will be a Ranbir/Ajay clash?

I don't consider it to be a clash and I don't take such clashes seriously. Son of Sardaar has proved that. I think everybody has the right to release it whenever they want and you just have to work harder on your film. Whichever is the better film will work more at the box office.

But if you have already announced the date as a producer, doesn't it upset you?

Yes and no. Yes, because it's a close-knit industry and whatever issues we have with each other we should sort it out amongst ourselves and not harm each other's work. And no, everybody wants a great release date so everybody has the right to choose any date for their film. It's a balance of both, I would say. If I take it personally, it will upset me but if I look at it from a business point of view, then I would say it's fair enough. You feel the person shouldn't have done it, but you accept it because he must have his reasons.

Would you discuss with Karan to dissuade him from releasing on December 16?

No. I would not discuss with him. I have announced my release date earlier than him so I will just go ahead and release it in the best way possible. I will not even bother about what is coming with me or what is not coming with me.

Don't you feel big stars like Salman and SRK clashing on Eid or festivals impacts the BO earnings?

Firstly, we really don't know whether they will clash. Let's see (smiles).

You are friends with Salman and Shah Rukh Khan. What do you feel about their patch-up?

Let's not get into it and have minute discussions on what happened and why. I am happy about their patch-up. It's a small industry and everybody has problems, but eventually, everybody sorts it out themselves. Nobody needs anybody's help to sort it out.

You and SRK met in Bulgaria?

Yes, we did. We sat down, shared a nice conversation and practically, had dinner together. The older we grow the more we mature and evolve. You have to forget your past and say we must move on now. That was Shah Rukh's attitude and that was my attitude. We connected well and spent time happily chatting.

Do you think SRK and you can ever do a film together?

I really don't know. If we have a great script, why not? I don't have a problem working with anybody as long as I'm happy with my character in the film.

Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh made fun of your film Action Jackson at the IIFA. Your take?

I'm sensitive to and protective about personal jokes on me and my family members. Everybody has a sense of humour and so do I, but I'm not the kind of person who likes the type of jokes made on the AIB Roast, and so I won't support that kind of humour. It's okay if you are doing it to each other and among each other but to include somebody else is in bad taste.