Posted:
You don't have to be best friends with everyone'
Mumbai Mirror | Jul 30, 2014, 11.45 AM IST
Casually dressed in jeans and a kurta, Ajay Devgn appears relaxed. There is no hint of the pressure that comes from driving forward the sequel of an adrenalinfuelled film, which appealed to both male and female viewers, as well as kids. But one call for action and the sinewy body is ready to uncoil and snarl, "Aata majhi satakli."
For the last few months, the actor has been working feverishly, pushing forward his upcoming comedy, Action Jackson, to November, to ensure that Singham Returns keeps its Independence Day date with the theatres."Bajirao Singham for me is not a person but a characteristic: Do the right thing at the right time. And what better time than August 15," he smiles.
Part 1 wooed the masses but didn't win over the critics. But Ajay believes that the sequel will. "It doesn't have people flying into the air and over-the-top-action. This film is bigger, better, and more real, shot in locations in Mumbai you've never seen on screen before," he asserts, adding that there are no references to Suriya's Tamil film Singham 2. "It's a different script for a different audience."
And will it live up to the boxoffice expectations of director Rohit Shetty's last film, the Rs 200 crore plus grosser Chennai Express? "Shah Rukh's film had the advantage of the Eid week, we just have the Independence Day weekend so no comparisons. Even if we gross Rs 150 crore, it'll be fab. The more the better," he says in a deadpan voice.
There's been plenty of talk about the patch-up between Ajay and SRK, with the latter dropping in at Mehboob Studio. Buzz is, the surprise visit was orchestrated by their director buddy Rohit."No, Rohit didn't play mediator," Ajay insists, adding there was no patchup because there was no problem between the two to begin with. "Maybe there was something 20 years ago, when we were both rash and brash, but he's never spoken out against me or vice versa. We may not meet for a drink everyday, but we were not at war. You don't have to be best friends with everyone. He has his life, I have mine. But since we are part of the same industry, we support each other."
And what's brewing between Kajol and her once-bff Karan Johar? In a recent interview to Mirror (July 17) , KJo refused to discuss Kajol. "I don't know, that's between them," he shrugs. "With Karan my equation has been the same, we were never too friendly."
His actress wife will be back on screen in a woman-centric love story, directed by Ram Madhvani, which Ajay will not be acting in. "Kajol will start shooting from October. I will produce the film," he says. Will she now only work for the home banner? "No, she's been reading scripts but this was the one she liked. Besides Ram and she have done lots of ads together and she's comfortable with him," he reasons. Ajay is also producing Shivay, which he will direct next year, along with two-three smaller projects."We'll make one film at a time and not churn out movies like a factory," he asserts.
He's also in talks with Rajkumar Santoshi and Prakash Jha but doesn't know if he'll do the films. For now Singham is priority.
"The cops offered us a lot of support while we were filming, now we'd like to do something for them, may be get them some new surveillance jeeps," says Ajay.
For the last few months, the actor has been working feverishly, pushing forward his upcoming comedy, Action Jackson, to November, to ensure that Singham Returns keeps its Independence Day date with the theatres."Bajirao Singham for me is not a person but a characteristic: Do the right thing at the right time. And what better time than August 15," he smiles.
Part 1 wooed the masses but didn't win over the critics. But Ajay believes that the sequel will. "It doesn't have people flying into the air and over-the-top-action. This film is bigger, better, and more real, shot in locations in Mumbai you've never seen on screen before," he asserts, adding that there are no references to Suriya's Tamil film Singham 2. "It's a different script for a different audience."
And will it live up to the boxoffice expectations of director Rohit Shetty's last film, the Rs 200 crore plus grosser Chennai Express? "Shah Rukh's film had the advantage of the Eid week, we just have the Independence Day weekend so no comparisons. Even if we gross Rs 150 crore, it'll be fab. The more the better," he says in a deadpan voice.
There's been plenty of talk about the patch-up between Ajay and SRK, with the latter dropping in at Mehboob Studio. Buzz is, the surprise visit was orchestrated by their director buddy Rohit."No, Rohit didn't play mediator," Ajay insists, adding there was no patchup because there was no problem between the two to begin with. "Maybe there was something 20 years ago, when we were both rash and brash, but he's never spoken out against me or vice versa. We may not meet for a drink everyday, but we were not at war. You don't have to be best friends with everyone. He has his life, I have mine. But since we are part of the same industry, we support each other."
And what's brewing between Kajol and her once-bff Karan Johar? In a recent interview to Mirror (July 17) , KJo refused to discuss Kajol. "I don't know, that's between them," he shrugs. "With Karan my equation has been the same, we were never too friendly."
His actress wife will be back on screen in a woman-centric love story, directed by Ram Madhvani, which Ajay will not be acting in. "Kajol will start shooting from October. I will produce the film," he says. Will she now only work for the home banner? "No, she's been reading scripts but this was the one she liked. Besides Ram and she have done lots of ads together and she's comfortable with him," he reasons. Ajay is also producing Shivay, which he will direct next year, along with two-three smaller projects."We'll make one film at a time and not churn out movies like a factory," he asserts.
He's also in talks with Rajkumar Santoshi and Prakash Jha but doesn't know if he'll do the films. For now Singham is priority.
"The cops offered us a lot of support while we were filming, now we'd like to do something for them, may be get them some new surveillance jeeps," says Ajay.
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