Ajay Devgan

Vishal Veeru Devgan (born 2 April 1969), known professionally as Ajay Devgn, is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works primarily in Hindi cinema. Devgn has appeared in over a hundred films and has won numerous accolades, including four National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards. In 2016, he was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honour of the country.

Devgn began his professional career with Phool Aur Kaante in 1991. He then rose to prominence as an action hero starring in successful films such as Jigar (1992), Dilwale (1994), Diljale (1996). He went on to give critically acclaimed performances in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Company (2002), Deewangee (2002), for Zakhm (1998) and The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002), he won National Film Award for Best Actor. After the success of Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006), he went on to collaborate with Rohit Shetty on a number of action-comedies including Golmaal Returns (2008), All the Best: Fun Begins (2009), Golmaal 3 (2010), Singham (2011), Bol Bachchan (2012), Singham Returns (2014), and Golmaal Again (2017). His highest-grossing movies include Total Dhamaal (2019), Tanhaji (2020) and Drishyam 2 (2022).

Devgn owns a production company Ajay Devgn FFilms, which was established in 2000. In 2008, he debuted as a film director with U Me Aur Hum.

Devgn was born to a Punjabi Hindu Saraswath-Vishwakarma family originally from Amritsar, Punjab. The family has connections to the Hindi film industry in Mumbai. Devgn's father, Veeru Devgan, was a stunt choreographer and action-film director and his mother, Veena, is a film producer. His cousin, Anil Devgan, is a filmmaker and screenwriter. Devgn graduated from the Silver Beach High School in Juhu and then studied at Mithibai College.

Devgn began a relationship with the actress Karisma Kapoor while filming Jigar, however, the couple ended their relationship in 1995. That same year, Devgn's relationship with the actress, Kajol Mukherjee, began whilst they were co-starring in Gundaraj. The media called them "an unlikely pair" due to their contrasting personalities. On 24 February 1999, the couple married in a traditional Maharashtrian Hindu ceremony at the Devgan home. The couple has two children. Their daughter, Nysa, was born in 2003 and their son, Yug, was born in 2010. Devgn and Kajol stored their newborn son's umbilical cord blood and tissues to act as a source of stem cells in case of serious ailment. In August 2009, Devgn changed the spelling of his surname Devgan to Devgn, at the request of his family. He is a practicing Shaiva Hindu who prominently wears a Rudraksha which, along with other religious themes, features in his films. Devgn was the first Bollywood personality to own a private jet for transport to shooting locations, to promotions and for personal trips.

In the following decade, Devgn performed roles in Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010), Golmaal 3 (2010), Raajneeti (2010), Singham (2011), Bol Bachchan (2012), Son of Sardaar (2012), Singham Returns (2014) and Drishyam (2015). In 2010, Devgn featured in the financially successful comedy Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? with Paresh Rawal and Konkona Sen Sharma. He then featured in Prakash Jha's political thriller Raajneeti. Raajneeti was released internationally on 4 June 2010, after some controversies regarding similarities between actual people and the characters in the film. There were also issues about the use of the national anthem in the film. The film was made with a budget of ₹60 crore (US$7.5 million) When the film was released, it had positive reviews and was financially successful. Again, in 2010, Devgn starred in Milan Luthria's Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, which was among the top-grossing films of that year. Both the film and Devgn's performance were well received by the critics. Taran Adarsh said: "Ajay Devgn is splendid as Sultan. The actor had enacted a similar role in Company, but it must be said that his interpretation is so different in Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai. He adds so much depth to the character, which only goes to prove his range and versatility. This is, without a trace of doubt, Ajay's finest work so far." Komal Nahta said: "Ajay Devgn is simply fantastic in the role of Sultan Mirza. So real is his performance that it looks like he was born to play this role. Right from his look to his acting including dialogue-delivery, everything is fabulous. Indeed, an award-winning performance!"

Devgn then starred in Priyadarshan's action-thriller film Aakrosh. The movie explores the subject of honour killings. Aakrosh received some positive reviews, but was financially unsuccessful. At the end of 2010, Devgn worked again with Rohit Shetty in Golmaal 3, a sequel to Golmaal Returns (2008). Although, like its predecessor, the film received mixed reviews, it was the most successful of the Golmaal series, earning more than ₹107 crore (US$13 million). Devgn also worked as a voice artist in Toonpur Ka Superrhero, an animated film.

In 2011, Devgn performed with Emraan Hashmi in Madhur Bhandarkar's comedy Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji. He was a narrator in Yamla Pagla Deewana and also made a cameo appearance in Ready. Devgn starred in Rohit Shetty's Singham. Taran Adarsh said: "The title means 'Lion' and Ajay is in the centre of the battle between good and evil. Ajay is well known for the lines, "aataa maajhi satakli". The embodiment of screen masculinity, Ajay enacts the central character of a righteous, hardhearted cop with flourish. He brings alive on screen a larger-than-life hero character with determined conviction, which renders you thunderstruck. One of the few actors who underplays his part admirably, he returns to the over-the-top-action genre of films with this one. In a nutshell, his performance plays a pivotal role in carrying the film to the winning post." He then starred David Dhawan's action comedy film Rascals.

The following year, Devgn starred in Tezz, directed by Priyadarshan. His co-stars were Anil Kapoor, Boman Irani, Kangana Ranaut, Sameera Reddy and Zayed Khan. Devgn then starred in Rohit Shetty's film Bol Bachchan. He then starred in Son of Sardaar. In 2013, Devgn featured in the critically and commercially unsuccessful remake of Himmatwala. Devgn next featured in Prakash Jha's political drama Satyagraha.

In 2014, Devgn featured in Rohit Shetty's Singham Returns, a sequel to Singham. Singham Returns received mixed reviews from Indian critics. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave it 4 stars and said: "The film is a complete mass entertainer with power-packed drama, hi-intensity dialogue and towering performances as its aces. The brand value attached to it coupled with a long weekend will help the film reap a harvest and rule the box office in days to come.". Collection of over ₹32.09 crore (US$4.0 million) on the first day of its release in India. Domestic net of Singham Returns are ₹140.62 crore (US$18 million). Devgn next featured in Prabhu Deva's Action Jackson which did not perform well at box office.

In 2015, Devgn starred in Drishyam, directed by Nishikant Kamat. The film received positive reviews, Meena Iyer of The Times of India gave the film four out of five stars, describing it as "A suspense drama with a nail-biting finish." She praised Devgan's performances: "Ajay, who is the prey here, shines in his role of the protective father.". The film was successful at the box office, by the end of its sixth week, the film had grossed about ₹76.48 crore (US$9.6 million) at the domestic box office.

In 2016, Devgn was seen in his own production, Shivaay, which released around Diwali 2016. Shivaay is an action drama movie. Shivaay opened to mixed reviews and grossed more than ₹146 crore (US$18 million). In 2017, Devgn featured in director Milan Luthria's Baadshaho and Rohit Shetty's Golmaal Again. Both films were mild commercial successes. While Baadshaho was a hit, Golmaal Again became the highest-grossing film of 2017 collecting 100 crores in 4 days of its release and a lifetime collection of 205 crores at the Indian box office while making a hefty 300 crores at worldwide box office.

In 2018, Devgn starred in Raj Kumar Gupta's Raid where he plays the role of an honest Indian Revenue Service officer, which released to positive critical feedback on 16 March, and was a commercial success. Devgn has long been working on producing Sons of Sardaar: The Battle of Saragari, a sequel to Son of Sardaar. In August 2017, Devgn stated: "We are working on the script but it won’t happen for another two years because of the scale of the project." He starred in De De Pyaar De alongside Tabu and Rakul Preet Singh. In early 2020, Devgn portrayed the role of 17th-century military leader Tanaji Malusare in an eponymously titled film, Tanhaji; directed by Om Raut. The film was released on 10 January 2020 and went on to win three National Film Awards, including the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Actor 'Tanhaji - The Unsung Warrior' earned Rs 3.67 billion ($49 million) worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2020. Moreover, it marks Ajay Devgn's 100th film as an actor.

In 2021, he starred alongside Sanjay Dutt, Sharad Kelkar, Nora Fatehi and Sonakshi Sinha in the historical film, Bhuj: The Pride of India and had a cameo in Sooryavanshi, reprising as DCP Bajirao Singham.

In 2022, Devgn made his OTT debut with the web series, Rudra: The Edge of Darkness, on Disney+ Hotstar. The same year, he released his third directorial, Runway 34. It received positive reviews from both the critics and audience. He was also seen in extended cameo appearances in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Gangubai Kathiawadi and S. S. Rajamouli's RRR, for which he got great admiration. Later that year, Devgn was seen as Chitragupt in Indra Kumar's Thank God, which also starred Sidharth Malhotra, which turned out to be a commercial failure. Later he starred in the sequel to Drishyam, Drishyam 2, directed by Abhishek Pathak. It became a huge critical and commercial success, along with becoming his second highest-grossing film of his career, after Tanhaji.

In 2023, Ajay is set to star in the remake of Kaithi, titled Bholaa, which is his 4th directorial venture. Other projects for him in 2023 includes the sports-drama Maidaan and Neeraj Pandey's Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha, which is currently filiming.

With Singham Again, the much awaited sequel to the smash-hit Singham Returns and Anees Bazmee's Naam Ajay Devgn has already a packed schedule for 2024.