‘I’m in awe of my daughter’

‘I’m in awe of my daughter’


The usually reticent Ajay Devgan gets talking to After Hours about his directorial debut and the ‘woman power’ at home

Amidst the Khan domination, he is the distinguished Devgan. Absorbed solely in his craft and resisting the paraphernalia that comes with stardom, Ajay has steered away from the beaten path.

“Whatever little success I’ve achieved has been my own terms. I’m proud that I didn’t have to succumb to pressures or change myself to achieve something more than I already have,” he notes.


While the year promises some mega releases for him - Anubhav Sinha’s ‘Cash’, Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Sholay’, Rajkumar Santoshi’s ‘Halla Bol’ and Rohit Shetty’s ‘Sunday’ - Ajay is also calling the shots for his home production ‘U, Me aur Hum’.

For someone who began editing his father’s (veteran action director Veeru Devgan) sequences at the age of 10, this seems but a natural progression. “It’s a commercial film. I’m not trying to prove a point saying, ‘Look, I’ve made a kickass film!’ It’s just an attempt to make a good film.” And having seen both extremes of luck, Ajay is grounded enough to not be affected by its vagaries. “When you’ve seen your father work from scratch, his highs and lows, it gives you the confidence to change things for yourself too.”


While the ‘brooding and intense’ image wows women, Ajay asserts that he is ‘a happy-go-lucky guy’. “I have my share fun. If you take life or your work too seriously then you won’t be able to enjoy it.” The actor who lives life ‘moment by moment’ adds, “I’m a very lazy person. It takes much effort to get me out of the house.”


Urge Ajay to talk about the women in his life and he pithily says, “Kajol has added everything to my life. I am what I am due to the women in my life- my mother, my wife and my daughter Nysa. I’m a satisfied person or else it would’ve reflected in my work and behaviour.”


Ask Ajay what kind of a dad he is and he says with a boyish grin, “I’m in awe of my daughter. Nysa has taught me to laugh, to smile and forget my problems once I’m home.” He adds, “Though she’s much like me in temperament, she blabbers continuously like Kajol.” And daddy’s tip to Nysa? “I’d say- ‘Look, I followed what I thought was right in life. I regret nothing. I never did what my heart said no to...’”