Ajay Devgan
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Vishal Veeru Devgan (born 2 April 1969), known professionally as Ajay Devgn, is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works in
Hindi cinema Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
. Devgn has appeared in over a hundred films and has won numerous accolades, including four
National Film Awards The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorat ...
and four
Filmfare Awards The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Hindi-language film industry of India.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were first introduced by th ...
. In 2016, he was honoured by the
Government of India The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
with the
Padma Shri Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, ...
, the fourth-highest civilian honour of the country. Devgn began his professional career with ''
Phool Aur Kaante ''Phool Aur Kaante'' () is a 1991 Indian Hindi-language action-romance film directed by Kuku Kohli. It stars Ajay Devgan, Madhoo, Aruna Irani, Jagdeep and Amrish Puri among others. The film marked the debut of Devgan, son of late stunt and ac ...
'' in 1991. He then rose to prominence as an action hero starring in successful films such as ''
Jigar ''Jigar'' is a 1992 Indian Hindi-language martial arts film directed by Farogh Siddique. It was released during the Diwali weekend and proved to be a successful hit. The plot is inspired by the 1989 American film '' Kickboxer''. Plot Raju an ...
'' (1992), '' Dilwale'' (1994), ''
Diljale ''Diljale'' () is a 1996 Indian Hindi-language romantic action film directed by Harry Baweja, with screenplay by Karan Razdan. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Madhoo and Sonali Bendre along with Parmeet Sethi, Shakti Kapoor, Gulshan Grover and Amrish ...
'' (1996). He went on to give critically acclaimed performances in ''
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam ''Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'' () is a 1999 Indian Hindi-language romantic musical film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It was released internationally as ''Straight From the Heart''. The film stars Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn. B ...
'' (1999), ''
Company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...
'' (2002), ''
Deewangee ''Deewangee'' () is a 2002 Indian Hindi-language psychological thriller film directed by Anees Bazmee and produced by Nitin Manmohan. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Akshaye Khanna and Urmila Matondkar. The music was composed by Ismail Darbar, with ...
'' (2002), for ''
Zakhm ''Zakhm'' () is a 1998 Indian Hindi-language drama film written and directed by Mahesh Bhatt. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Kunal Khemu, Pooja Bhatt, Sonali Bendre and Nagarjuna. ''Zakhm'' was awarded with the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature F ...
'' (1998) and ''
The Legend of Bhagat Singh ''The Legend of Bhagat Singh'' is a 2002 Indian Hindi-language biographical period film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. The film is about Bhagat Singh, a Freedom Fighter who fought for Indian independence along with fellow members of the Hin ...
'' (2002), he won
National Film Award for Best Actor The National Film Award for Best Actor, officially known as the Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actor (), is an honour presented annually at the National Film Awards of India instituted since 1967 to actors who have delivered the best performanc ...
. After the success of '' Golmaal: Fun Unlimited'' (2006), he went on to collaborate with
Rohit Shetty Rohit Shetty (born 14 March 1974) is an Indian film director, stuntman, producer and television host who works in Hindi cinema. He is one of the most recognised film director of Hindi Cinema. His movies are often mix genres of action, comedy a ...
on a number of action-comedies including ''
Golmaal Returns ''Golmaal Returns'' () is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty. Based on the 1973 Hindi film ''Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar'', it serves as the second installment in the '' Golmaal film series''. The film stars Ajay Devgn, A ...
'' (2008), '' All the Best: Fun Begins'' (2009), ''
Golmaal 3 ''Golmaal 3'' () is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty and the third film in the '' Golmaal series''. The film contains an ensemble cast starring Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Mithun Chakraborty, Kareena Kapoor, ...
'' (2010), ''
Singham ''Singham'' is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Reliance Entertainment, based on a script by writers Yunus Sajawal and Farhad-Sajid. It serves as first installment of Shetty's Cop Universe. A ...
'' (2011), ''
Bol Bachchan ''Bol Bachchan'' is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Ajay Devgn & Dhillin Mehta under Ajay Devgn FFilms and Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Limited respectively, with Fox Star Studios se ...
'' (2012), ''
Singham Returns ''Singham Returns'' is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Rohit Shetty as the second installment of his Cop Universe.
'' (2014), and ''
Golmaal Again ''Golmaal Again'' () is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language supernatural comedy film written and directed by Rohit Shetty; produced by Rohit Shetty Pictures, Mangal Murti Films and Reliance Entertainment. The film is the fourth installment of '' Gol ...
'' (2017). His highest-grossing movies include ''
Total Dhamaal ''Total Dhamaal'' (also known as ''Dhamaal 3'') is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language adventure comedy film directed and written by Indra Kumar and loosely based on the 1963 Hollywood film ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' with some scenes borrow ...
'' (2019), ''
Tanhaji ''Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior'' is a 2020 Indian historical action film, co-written and directed by Om Raut and produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Ajay Devgn under T-Series Films and Ajay Devgn FFilms. Tracing the life of Maratha w ...
'' (2020) and ''
Drishyam 2 ''Drishyam 2: The Resumption'', or simply ''Drishyam 2'' is a 2021 Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller film written and directed by Jeethu Joseph and produced by Antony Perumbavoor through the company Aashirvad Cinemas.A sequel to thei ...
'' (2022). In addition, Devgn owns a production company
Ajay Devgn FFilms Ajay Devgn FFilms is an Indian film production and distribution company established by actor Ajay Devgn & his father Veeru Devgan in 2000. Based in Mumbai, it mainly produces and distributes Hindi films. In 2000, ADFF released its first film, ...
, which was established in 2000. In 2008, he debuted as a film director with ''
U Me Aur Hum ''U Me Aur Hum'' () is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film co-written, directed, and produced by Ajay Devgn. The film tells the story of Ajay (Devgn), who meets barmaid Piya ( Kajol) on a cruise with his friends (Sumeet Raghavan, ...
''. He has been married to film actress
Kajol Kajol Devgan (née Mukherjee; born 5 August 1974), known mononymously as Kajol, is an Indian actress. Described in the media as one of the most successful actresses of Hindi cinema, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six F ...
since 1999.


Family background and marriage

Devgan was born to a
Punjabi Hindu Punjabi Hindus are adherents of Hinduism who identify linguistically, culturally, and genealogically as Punjabis. While Punjabi Hindus are mostly found in the Indian state of Punjab today, many have ancestry from the greater Punjab regio ...
Saraswath-Vishwakarma family originally from
Amritsar Amritsar (), historically also known as Rāmdāspur and colloquially as ''Ambarsar'', is the second largest city in the Indian state of Punjab, after Ludhiana. It is a major cultural, transportation and economic centre, located in the Majha r ...
,
Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
. Rediff.com 31 December 2004. Accessed 30 July 2011. The family has connections to the Hindi film industry in
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
. Devgn's father,
Veeru Devgan Veeru Devgan (25 June 1934 — 27 May 2019) was an Indian action choreographer, actor and film director who worked in Bollywood films. He worked on more than 200 Indian films including '' Roti Kapada Aur Makaan'', ''Kranti'', '' Mr. Natwarlal'' ...
, was a stunt choreographer and action-film director and his mother, Veena, is a film producer. His cousin,
Anil Devgan Anil Devgan (25 May 1969 — 5 October 2020) was an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, the son of Prem Prakash Devgan, and the first cousin of actor Ajay Devgan. He directed films such as ''Raju Chacha'' and '' Blackmail''. He died at the age of ...
, is a filmmaker and screenwriter. Devgn graduated from the Silver Beach High School in
Juhu Juhu (Pronunciation: ͡ʒuɦuː is a posh and upmarket neighbourhood of Mumbai. It is known for the sprawling Juhu Beach. It is surrounded by the Arabian Sea to the west, Versova to the north, Vile Parle to the east and Santacruz to the south ...
and then studied at
Mithibai College The Mithibai College of Arts, Chauhan Institute of Science & Amruthben Jivanlal College of Commerce and Economics is a college affiliated to the University of Mumbai. The college was established in 1961 in Vile Parle, Mumbai by Shri Vile Parle ...
. Devgn began a relationship with the actress
Karisma Kapoor Karisma Kapoor (born 25 June 1974) is an Indian actress, who works in Hindi films. A member of the Kapoor family, she is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Film Award and four Filmfare Awards. Kapoor made her acting de ...
while filming ''Jigar'', however, the couple ended their relationship in 1995. That same year, Devgn's relationship with the actress,
Kajol Mukherjee Kajol Devgan ( née Mukherjee; born 5 August 1974), known mononymously as Kajol, is an Indian actress. Described in the media as one of the most successful actresses of Hindi cinema, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six ...
, began whilst they were co-starring in ''Gundaraj''. India Today 22 May 2006. The media called them "an unlikely pair" due to their contrasting personalities. Rediff.com 23 March 2011. Accessed 4 June 2012. Tribune India.com 27 April 2003. Accessed 3 June 2010. On 24 February 1999, the couple married in a traditional Maharashtrian Hindu ceremony at the Devgan home.Srnivasan V. Rediff.com 25 February 1999. Accessed 4 June 2012.Bhattacharya R. Hindustan Times.com 28 February 2010. Accessed 4 June 2012. The couple has two children. Their daughter, Nysa, was born in 2003 Times of India.com 20 April 2003 Accessed 4 June 2012. and their son, Yug, was born in 2010. Times of India 13 September 2010. Accessed 4 June 2002. 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 Devgan is a surname native to India. Notable people with the surname include: * Anirudh Devgan * Ajay Devgn (born Ajay Devgan, 1969), Indian actor * Amish Devgan (born 1980), Indian news anchor * Anil Devgan (1969–2020), Indian director and scre ...
to ''Devgn'', at the request of his family. He is a practicing
Shaiva Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
who prominently wears a
Rudraksha ''Rudraksha'' (IAST: ') refers to a stonefruit, the dried stones of which are used as prayer beads by Hindus (especially Shaivas), as well as by Buddhists and Sikhs. When they are ripe, ''rudraksha'' stones are covered by an inedible blue ou ...
which, along with other religious themes, features in his films. Devgn was the first
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
personality to own a private jet for transport to shooting locations, to promotions and for personal trips.


Career


Film debut, breakthrough and rise to prominence (1991–99)

As Devgn entered the film industry in 1991, he changed his stage name from his birth name, Vishal, to "Ajay" due to several other actors named Vishal being launched at the same time, including
Manoj Kumar Harikrishan Goswami (born 24 July 1937), better known by his screen name Manoj Kumar, is an Indian actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, lyricist and editor who worked in Hindi cinema. He is known for acting and making films with patriotic theme ...
's son. He began his professional career in ''
Phool Aur Kaante ''Phool Aur Kaante'' () is a 1991 Indian Hindi-language action-romance film directed by Kuku Kohli. It stars Ajay Devgan, Madhoo, Aruna Irani, Jagdeep and Amrish Puri among others. The film marked the debut of Devgan, son of late stunt and ac ...
'' and received a
Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut The Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films to recognise a performance by a male actor in a debut role. List of winners 1980s *1989 Aamir Khan – ''Qayamat Se Qayamat ...
. Box Office India.com Accessed 10 January 2007 He co-starred with
Madhoo Madhoo Shah (Madhubala) (born Padma Malini; 26 March 1969) is an Indian actress known for her works predominantly in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada language films. She was a part of Movies like ''Phool Aur Kaante'' (1991), ''Roja' ...
. Box Office India.com Accessed 10 January 2009. In his opening scene, Devgn performed a
split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, enterta ...
while balancing between two motorcycles. His next film was ''
Jigar ''Jigar'' is a 1992 Indian Hindi-language martial arts film directed by Farogh Siddique. It was released during the Diwali weekend and proved to be a successful hit. The plot is inspired by the 1989 American film '' Kickboxer''. Plot Raju an ...
'' (1992), a Bollywood
martial arts film Martial arts films are a subgenre of action films that feature numerous martial arts combat between characters. These combats are usually the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often are a method of storytelling and character expres ...
co-starring
Karisma Kapoor Karisma Kapoor (born 25 June 1974) is an Indian actress, who works in Hindi films. A member of the Kapoor family, she is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Film Award and four Filmfare Awards. Kapoor made her acting de ...
. It was released on
Diwali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali ( IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is ...
weekend and became the seventh-highest-grossing movie of that year, taking at the
box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicke ...
. In 1993, Devgn starred in '' Dil Hai Betaab'', a movie about a love triangle and romantic themes such as revenge. He next featured in '' Divya Shakti'' and then '' Sangram'', a story of enmity between two fathers. Box Office India.com 1993 Devgan then worked with
Deepak Bahry Deepak Bahry is a Bollywood film director and producer active since the mid-1970s. He is perhaps best known for his family-oriented action drama films, in which he often cast actors such as Mithun Chakraborty and Jagdeep throughout the late ...
, who directed the action film '' Ek Hi Raasta'', and with Deepak Pawar, who directed ''
Platform Platform may refer to: Technology * Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run * Platform game, a genre of video games * Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models * Weapons platform, a system or ...
''. Other releases that year were ''
Shaktiman Shaktimaan is an Indian Hindi-language superhero television show, created by Mukesh Khanna that aired on DD National from 13 September 1997 to 27 March 2005. Producer Mukesh Khanna played the role of Shaktimaan and his alter ego "Pandit Ga ...
'', '' Dhanwan'' and ''Bedardi''. In 1994, Devgn starred in
Harry Baweja Harjaspal Baweja (born 1956) is an Indian film director based in Mumbai and hails from Ludhiana, Punjab, India. He is married to Indian film producer, Pammi Baweja. Their son, Harman Baweja, made his debut in the film Love Story 2050. They have ...
's romantic action film '' Dilwale''. He played the part of Arun Saxena, a man with intellectual impairment. The movie was the tenth-highest-grossing movie of the year. Box Office India.com. His next release was ''
Kanoon ''Kanoon'' () is a 1960 Indian Hindi-language film directed by B. R. Chopra. The film stars Rajendra Kumar, Nanda, Ashok Kumar, Mehmood, Shashikala, Jeevan and Om Prakash. The film presents a case against capital punishment, arguing that witn ...
'' and then Kuku Kohli's '' Suhaag'' with Akshay Kumar. The movie was about two friends. Devgn played Ajay Sharma/Malhotra. ''Suhaag'' was the seventh-highest-grossing movie of the year. His next film was ''
Vijaypath ''Vijaypath'' () is a 1994 Indian Hindi-language action drama film starring Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Danny Denzongpa. Plot Justice Saxena's wife, the two children, and Rajesh Saxena leave the city. Dilawar Singh finds them and kills the Judge's w ...
''. Shooting dates for ''Vijaypath'' clashed with those of ''
Karan Arjun ''Karan Arjun'' is a 1995 Indian Hindi-language fantasy action film directed and produced by Rakesh Roshan, starring Raakhee, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Mamta Kulkarni in lead roles. Amrish Puri portrays the main antagonist, while ...
'' which Devgn declined. ''Vijaypath'' was the eighth-highest-grossing film of the year. In 1995, Devgn appeared in
Mahesh Bhatt Mahesh Bhatt (born 20 September 1948) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter known for his works in Hindi cinema. A stand-out film from his earlier period is ''Saaransh'' (1984), screened at the 14th Moscow International Film F ...
's movie ''
Naajayaz ''Naajayaz'' () is a 1995 Indian action thriller film directed by Mahesh Bhatt and produced on a budget of 26.8 million. It was a critical and commercial success. It stars Ajay Devgn, Naseeruddin Shah, Juhi Chawla, Deepak Tijori, Gulshan Grover, ...
'' and then '' Hulchul'' directed by Milan Luthria. Kajol co-starred. Box Office India.com. Devgn and Kajol then appeared in ''
Gundaraj , image = Gundaraj.jpg , image_size = , caption = Release poster , director = Guddu Dhanoa , producer = Lalit Kapoor Raju Narula , writer = Anees Bazmee (dialogue)Robin Henry (screenplay) , narrat ...
'' which did not perform well at the box office. His next release was '' Haqeeqat'' costarring with Tabu. This film was the eleventh-highest-grossing movie of the year. In 1996, Devgn starred in the action movie ''
Jung Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung's work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philo ...
'' with Mithun Chakraborty, Rambha and
Aditya Pancholi Aditya Pancholi (born 4 January 1965) is an Indian actor, producer and playback singer working in Hindi cinema. Acting career 1985–87: Television movies and serials He was signed for a few television video films produced by Hiba, which ...
. His next release was an action movie called '' Jaan'', Box Office India.com. with Twinkle Khanna. He then starred in
Harry Baweja Harjaspal Baweja (born 1956) is an Indian film director based in Mumbai and hails from Ludhiana, Punjab, India. He is married to Indian film producer, Pammi Baweja. Their son, Harman Baweja, made his debut in the film Love Story 2050. They have ...
's film ''
Diljale ''Diljale'' () is a 1996 Indian Hindi-language romantic action film directed by Harry Baweja, with screenplay by Karan Razdan. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Madhoo and Sonali Bendre along with Parmeet Sethi, Shakti Kapoor, Gulshan Grover and Amrish ...
'', where he played a terrorist character called Shaka. In 1997, Devgn starred in a poorly received movie, '' Itihaas'', with Twinkle Khanna. His next release was
Indra Kumar Indra Kumar is an Indian film director and producer. He had five Filmfare nominations, has also appeared in number of Gujarati. Kumar's real name is Indra Irani. His latest film produced is Thank God (2022). Kumar debuted into direction as ...
's romantic comedy ''
Ishq Ishq ( ar, عشق, ''‘išq'') is an Arabic word meaning "love" or "passion", also widely used in other languages of the Muslim world and the Indian subcontinent. The word ''ishq'' does not appear in the Quran, which instead uses derivatives o ...
'' with
Aamir Khan Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan (; born 14 March 1965) is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works in Hindi films. Through his career spanning over 30 years, Khan has established himself as one of the most notable actors of Indian ci ...
,
Juhi Chawla Juhi Chawla (born 13 November 1967) is an Indian actress, film producer and entrepreneur. She established herself as one of the leading actresses of Hindi cinema from the late 1980s through the early 2000s. Recognised for her comic timing and v ...
and
Kajol Kajol Devgan (née Mukherjee; born 5 August 1974), known mononymously as Kajol, is an Indian actress. Described in the media as one of the most successful actresses of Hindi cinema, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six F ...
. In this successful film, Devgn played Ajay, a rich boy in love with a poor girl, (Kajol). The film grossed . The film was the fourth-highest-grossing film of the year. Box Office India.com Accessed 10 January 2007. In 1998, Devgn gave a critically acclaimed performance in
Mahesh Bhatt Mahesh Bhatt (born 20 September 1948) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter known for his works in Hindi cinema. A stand-out film from his earlier period is ''Saaransh'' (1984), screened at the 14th Moscow International Film F ...
's drama, ''
Zakhm ''Zakhm'' () is a 1998 Indian Hindi-language drama film written and directed by Mahesh Bhatt. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Kunal Khemu, Pooja Bhatt, Sonali Bendre and Nagarjuna. ''Zakhm'' was awarded with the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature F ...
'', and received his first
National Film Award for Best Actor The National Film Award for Best Actor, officially known as the Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actor (), is an honour presented annually at the National Film Awards of India instituted since 1967 to actors who have delivered the best performanc ...
. In 1999, in ''
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam ''Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'' () is a 1999 Indian Hindi-language romantic musical film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It was released internationally as ''Straight From the Heart''. The film stars Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn. B ...
'', Devgn played Vanraj, a man who tries to unite his wife with her lover. Devgn then starred in ''
Major Saab ''Major Saab'' is a 1998 Indian Hindi-language action film starring Amitabh Bachchan, Naveen Nischol, Ajay Devgn, Sonali Bendre, Nafisa Ali and Ashish Vidhyarthi. Plot The plot concerns playboy Virendra Pratap Singh aka Vir. A clause in th ...
'' with
Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...
and
Sonali Bendre Sonali Bendre (born 1 January 1975) is an Indian actress primarily known for her work in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu films. She did modelling assignments prior to making her acting debut with '' Aag'' (1994), which won her the Filmfare Award for Ne ...
where he played the character of an army officer. The movie was successful and was the tenth-highest-grossing film of the year. He next starred with Kajol in
Anees Bazmee Anees Bazmee is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer known for his works in Indian cinema. Career Bazmee did his directorial debut with '' Hulchul'' in 1995, however his first commercial success in came in 1998 with the film '' ...
's second film, the romantic comedy ''
Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha ''Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha'' () is a 1998 Indian romantic comedy film starring Kajol and Ajay Devgn. The film is a scene to scene copy of the 1995 American film ''French Kiss'' starring Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline. At the 44th Filmfare Awards, ''Py ...
'', a remake of the 1995 American film ''
French Kiss A French kiss, also known as cataglottism or a tongue kiss, is an amorous kiss in which the participants' tongues extend to touch each other's lips or tongue. A kiss with the tongue stimulates the partner's lips, tongue and mouth, which are sens ...
''. It grossed
Indian rupee The Indian rupee ( symbol: ₹; code: INR) is the official currency in the republic of India. The rupee is subdivided into 100 ''paise'' (singular: ''paisa''), though as of 2022, coins of denomination of 1 rupee are the lowest value in use wh ...
s. Devgn's next release was
Mahesh Bhatt Mahesh Bhatt (born 20 September 1948) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter known for his works in Hindi cinema. A stand-out film from his earlier period is ''Saaransh'' (1984), screened at the 14th Moscow International Film F ...
's ''
Zakhm ''Zakhm'' () is a 1998 Indian Hindi-language drama film written and directed by Mahesh Bhatt. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Kunal Khemu, Pooja Bhatt, Sonali Bendre and Nagarjuna. ''Zakhm'' was awarded with the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature F ...
''. The plot examines communal tension in Mumbai during riots. Devgn played a man who is fed up with religious conflict. Devgn won several awards for his performance, including the
National Film Award for Best Actor The National Film Award for Best Actor, officially known as the Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actor (), is an honour presented annually at the National Film Awards of India instituted since 1967 to actors who have delivered the best performanc ...
and the Star Screen Award for Best Actor. In 1999, Devgn starred in the romantic drama ''
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam ''Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'' () is a 1999 Indian Hindi-language romantic musical film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It was released internationally as ''Straight From the Heart''. The film stars Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn. B ...
'', in which he played Vanraj, a man who tries to help his wife (
Aishwarya Rai Aishwarya Rai Bachchan ( Rai; born 1 November 1973) is an Indian actress who is primarily known for her work in Hindi and Tamil films. The winner of the Miss World 1994 pageant, she has established herself as one of the most popular celebritie ...
) reunite with her lover (
Salman Khan Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (; 27 December 1965) is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. In a film career spanning over thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two Nation ...
).
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam ''Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'' () is a 1999 Indian Hindi-language romantic musical film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It was released internationally as ''Straight From the Heart''. The film stars Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn. B ...
marked a significant turning point in Devgan's career. The film, an adaptation of
Maitreyi Devi Maitreyi Devi (or Maitreyī Devī; 1 September 1914 – 29 January 1989) was an Indian poet and novelist. She is best known for her Sahitya Akademi Award-winning novel, '' Na Hanyate'' (). Biography Devi was born in 1914. She was the daughter o ...
's Bengali novel '' Na Hanyate'', was directed by
Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sanjay Leela Bhansali (; born 24 February 1963) is an Indian filmmaker, director, screenwriter, and music composer who is known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including four National Film Awards, ten Filmfar ...
and co-starred
Salman Khan Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (; 27 December 1965) is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. In a film career spanning over thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two Nation ...
and
Aishwarya Rai Aishwarya Rai Bachchan ( Rai; born 1 November 1973) is an Indian actress who is primarily known for her work in Hindi and Tamil films. The winner of the Miss World 1994 pageant, she has established herself as one of the most popular celebritie ...
. Devgn was highly praised for his performance. Rediff said: "Ajay's role reminds you of one he did in another film, ''Pyaar Toh Hona Hi Tha''. There he is searching for the boyfriend of the girl he secretly loves. But intense scenes are his forte and he does well here. He's particularly good in the scene where he gets exasperated with his wife's stubbornness and strives to keep his cool." The movie was successful and Devgan was nominated for the Filmfare best actor award. After that, he appeared in '' Hindustan Ki Kasam'' with Amitabh Bachchan and Sonali Bendre. He then worked with the director Milan Luthria in '' Kachche Dhaage'', with Saif Ali Khan and Manisha Koirala. The movie was a box-office hit. He then performed in the successful movie ''
Hogi Pyaar Ki Jeet ''Hogi Pyaar Ki Jeet'' () is a 1999 Indian Hindi-language action romantic drama film directed by P.Vasu starring Ajay Devgn, Neha Bajpai, Arshad Warsi and Mayuri Kango. The film was a semi-hit at the box office. Summary Surjit finds out t ...
'', a romantic comedy, and then in his home production movie with Kajol, and director, Prakash Jha. The film was titled ''
Dil Kya Kare ''Dil Kya Kare'' (English: ''What Should The Heart Do?'') is a 1999 Indian drama film, directed by Prakash Jha and produced by Veeru Devgan and Veena Devgan. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Mahima Chaudhry, Kajol and Chandrachur Singh. Plot This story ...
''. His other movies in 1999 were '' Gair'' and ''
Thakshak ''Thakshak'' is a 1999 Indian action drama film written and directed by Govind Nihalani. Touted as Nihalani's attempt at popular cinema, this film stars Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Rahul Bose. The soundtrack was composed by A. R. Rahman. Plot A ...
'' in which he played a strong, silent man.


Critical acclaim and awards success (2000–09)

In 2000, Devgn performed in
Harry Baweja Harjaspal Baweja (born 1956) is an Indian film director based in Mumbai and hails from Ludhiana, Punjab, India. He is married to Indian film producer, Pammi Baweja. Their son, Harman Baweja, made his debut in the film Love Story 2050. They have ...
's ''
Deewane ''Deewane'' is a 2000 Indian Hindi romantic drama film that stars Ajay Devgn (in a double role), Urmila Matondkar and Mahima Chaudhary. After ''Bedardi'' and ''Kanoon'', it was the third film Ajay and Urmila did together. The film did well at ...
''. The film did not do well at the box office. Box Office India.com Accessed 10 January 2007. In the same year, Devgn starred in his first home production; ''
Raju Chacha ''Raju Chacha'' () is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Anil Devgan and produced by his brother Ajay Devgn, debuting as a film producer. The film stars Ajay, Kajol and Rishi Kapoor, along with Sanjay Dutt in a special ...
'', with Kajol. The film was moderately successful. In 2001, Devgn starred in another moderately successful film; ''
Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke ''Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke'' ( en, These Are The Paths of Love) is a 2001 Bollywood romantic drama film. It is a love triangle, directed by Deepak Shivdasani. It stars Ajay Devgn, Preity Zinta and Madhuri Dixit in the lead roles, along with Sun ...
'' with
Madhuri Dixit Madhuri Dixit Nene (née Dixit; born 15 May 1967) is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi films. A leading actress of Indian cinema, she has appeared in over 70 films. Noted by critics for her beauty, dancing skills, and characters, ...
and
Preity Zinta Preity G Zinta (pronounced ; born 31 January 1975) is an Indian actress and entrepreneur primarily known for her work in Hindi cinema, Hindi films. After graduating with degrees in English literature, English honours and criminal psychology, Z ...
. Box Office India.com Accessed 10 January 2007. His next release was '' Lajja'', with
Manisha Koirala Manisha Koirala (; born 16 August 1970) is a Nepalese actress who works in Cinema of India, Indian films, predominantly in Hindi and Tamil language, Tamil films and has also worked in few Telugu language, Telugu, Bengali language, Bengali, Mala ...
,
Madhuri Dixit Madhuri Dixit Nene (née Dixit; born 15 May 1967) is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi films. A leading actress of Indian cinema, she has appeared in over 70 films. Noted by critics for her beauty, dancing skills, and characters, ...
,
Jackie Shroff Jaikishan Kakubhai Shroff (born 1 February 1957), popularly known as Jackie Shroff, is an Indian actor and former model. He has been in the Bollywood industry for over four decades, and , has appeared in over 220 films in 13 languages namely Hi ...
and
Anil Kapoor Anil Kapoor (born 24 December 1956) is an Indian actor and producer who works primarily in Hindi films, besides television and international films and television. In a career spanning over 40 years as an actor and since 2005 as a producer, Kapo ...
. He was nominated for the
Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award The Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role. Although the awards start ...
. However, the film was not popular with the public.
Mahesh Manjrekar Mahesh Vaman Manjrekar (Marathi pronunciation: əɦeːʃ maːɲd͡zɾekəɾ born 16 August 1958) is an Indian actor, film director, screenwriter and producer who works primarily in Hindi films, alongside Marathi, Telugu and Bhojpuri films. H ...
's ''
Tera Mera Saath Rahen ''Tera Mera Saath Rahen'' is a 2001 Indian drama film directed by Mahesh V. Manjrekar. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Dushyant Wagh, Sonali Bendre and Namrata Shirodkar. Plot Raj Dixit (Ajay Devgn) is a respectable average man who lives with ...
'' followed. In 2002, Devgn performed in
Ram Gopal Varma Penmetsa Ram Gopal Varma (born 7 April 1962), often referred to by his initials RGV, is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer, known for his works in Telugu cinema in addition to Bollywood, Hindi, Kannada cinema, Kannada language ...
's fictional examination of the
Mumbai underworld Organised crime in India refers to organised crime elements originating in India and active in many parts of the world. The purpose of organised crime in India, as elsewhere in the world, is monetary gain. Its virulent form in modern times is d ...
in the film ''
Company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...
''. Devgn played a gangster named Malik. Both ''Company'' and Devgn's performance received critical acclaim. As
Taran Adarsh Taran Adarsh (born 13 June 1965) is an Indian film critic and trade analyst. He is best known for giving trade figures and box office updates on social media. Career Taran Adarsh started his journalism career at the age of 15 with ''Trade Gui ...
reviewed: "Ajay Devgn enacts his role to perfection. A controlled performance, the actor takes to this complex character like a fish takes to water. He underplays his part with admirable ease." Devgan was nominated for the
Filmfare Best Actor Award The Filmfare Award for Best Actor is an award, begun in 1954, presented annually at the Filmfare Awards to an actor via a jury. This is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi (Bollywood) films. The award was first ...
and won the
Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor The Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor is given by '' Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films. Superlatives The record of the maximum number of wins in this category is with Amitabh Bachchan having won the award 4 ...
. Box Office India.com Accessed 10 January 2007. Devgn's next release was
David Dhawan David Dhawan (born Rajinder Dhawan; 16 August 1951) is an Indian director of Hindi films. A member of the Dhawan family, he has directed over 42 films. The 1993 action thriller '' Aankhen'' and 1999 comedy '' Biwi No.1'' earned him two Filmfar ...
's comedy ''
Hum Kisise Kum Nahin ''Hum Kisise Kum Naheen'' () is a 1977 Indian musical film, musical drama film produced and directed by Nasir Hussain. It took the third top spot at the box office in 1977. The film stars Rishi Kapoor, Tariq Khan (actor), Tariq Khan, Kaajal K ...
'', with
Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...
,
Sanjay Dutt Sanjay Balraj Dutt (born 29 July 1959) is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi cinema. In a career spanning over four decades, Dutt has won several accolades and acted in over 100 films, ranging from romance to comedy genres, though u ...
and
Aishwarya Rai Aishwarya Rai Bachchan ( Rai; born 1 November 1973) is an Indian actress who is primarily known for her work in Hindi and Tamil films. The winner of the Miss World 1994 pageant, she has established herself as one of the most popular celebritie ...
. The same year, he played the role of
Bhagat Singh Bhagat Singh (27 September 1907 – 23 March 1931) was a charismatic Indian revolutionary* * who participated in the mistaken murder of a junior British police officer * * in what was to be retaliation for the death of an Indian national ...
, in
Rajkumar Santoshi Rajkumar Santoshi is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter of Hindi films. Having received several accolades including three National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards, he made his directorial debut with the crime film ''Ghayal ( ...
's biopic ''
The Legend of Bhagat Singh ''The Legend of Bhagat Singh'' is a 2002 Indian Hindi-language biographical period film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. The film is about Bhagat Singh, a Freedom Fighter who fought for Indian independence along with fellow members of the Hin ...
''.Jindani A. Smashits.com. His performance was well received by critics. Taran Adarsh said, "Ajay Devgn has lived the role. To state that he is excellent would be an understatement. His performance is bound to win admiration from cinegoers, besides fetching awards." The film was released on 7 June 2002 and went on to win two
National Film Awards The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorat ...
, including the
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi The National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India. It is one of several a ...
, and three
Filmfare Awards The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Hindi-language film industry of India.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were first introduced by th ...
, including the
Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie The Filmfare Critics Award for Best Film is awarded during annual Filmfare Awards, given by the Filmfare magazine. The awards are the oldest and most prominent film awards given for Hindi films in India. The yearly awards started in 1954. Mov ...
. Despite these awards, and Devgn winning his second
National Film Award for Best Actor The National Film Award for Best Actor, officially known as the Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actor (), is an honour presented annually at the National Film Awards of India instituted since 1967 to actors who have delivered the best performanc ...
for his performance, the film was not popular with the public. Devgn went on to perform in
Anees Bazmee Anees Bazmee is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer known for his works in Indian cinema. Career Bazmee did his directorial debut with '' Hulchul'' in 1995, however his first commercial success in came in 1998 with the film '' ...
's ''
Deewangee ''Deewangee'' () is a 2002 Indian Hindi-language psychological thriller film directed by Anees Bazmee and produced by Nitin Manmohan. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Akshaye Khanna and Urmila Matondkar. The music was composed by Ismail Darbar, with ...
''. The film was partially inspired by
William Diehl William Diehl (; December 4, 1924 – November 24, 2006) was an American novelist and photojournalist. Biography Diehl was a successful photographer and journalist, when he began his novel-writing career at 50. His first novel, ''Sharky's Ma ...
's novel, '' Primal Fear''. The film earned Devgn several awards for his role including a
Filmfare Best Villain Award The Filmfare Best Villain Award was given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise an actor who had delivered an outstanding performance in a negative role. Although the awards started in 1954, this cate ...
, the Star Screen Award for Best Villain and the Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role. The film was a success at the box office. In 2003, Devgn starred in Ram Gopal Verma's horror film '' Bhoot'', opposite
Urmila Matondkar Urmila Matondkar (born 4 February 1974) is an Indian actress and politician. Known for her work primarily in Hindi films, in addition to Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi and Tamil films, she has received numerous accolades, including the Filmfar ...
. The film was appreciated critically and performed well at the box office. Box Office India.com Accessed 10 January 2007. He then starred in the action thriller '' Qayamat: City Under Threat'' with the actress debutante,
Neha Dhupia Neha Dhupia (born 27 August 1980) is an Indian actress and model who works predominantly in Hindi, and some Punjabi, Telugu and Malayalam films. She has won the Femina Miss India 2002 pageant and was among the top 10 finalists in Miss Universe ...
. The film was a commercial success. Devgn next performed in
Milan Luthria Milan Luthria is an Indian film director who works in Hindi films. He is best known as the director of Ajay Devgan ''Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai'' (2010). He is the nephew of producer and director Mahesh Bhatt. Personal life Milan is the son o ...
's romantic film '' Chori Chori'', opposite
Rani Mukherji Rani Mukerji (pronounced ; born 21 March 1978) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. Noted for her versatility, she is the recipient of multiple accolades, including seven Filmfare Awards. Mukerji has featured in listings of the hig ...
and
Sonali Bendre Sonali Bendre (born 1 January 1975) is an Indian actress primarily known for her work in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu films. She did modelling assignments prior to making her acting debut with '' Aag'' (1994), which won her the Filmfare Award for Ne ...
. This film did not succeed at the box office. Devgn's next release of the year was
Prakash Jha Prakash Jha (born 27 February 1952) is an Indian film producer, actor, director and screenwriter, mostly known for his political and socio-political films such as “Hip Hip Hurray” (1984), '' Damul'' (1984), ''Mrityudand'' (1997), ''Gangaaj ...
's ''
Gangaajal ''Gangaajal: The Holy Weapon'' () is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language action crime drama film written, directed, co-produced and edited by Prakash Jha. Featuring an ensemble cast of 87 actors, it revolves around the Superintendent of Police Ami ...
''. The film was set in the time of the blinding incident in
Bhagalpur Bhagalpur is a city in the Indian state of Bihar, situated on the southern banks of the river Ganges. It is the 2nd largest city of Bihar by population and also the headquarters of Bhagalpur district and Bhagalpur division. Known as the Silk ...
, Bihar. Rediff.com said, "Ajay Devgan pulls up an ace with a part tailormade to reinforce his seething-under-the-surface angry hero image. To his credit (and the director's), he brings style and grace to a largely stereotypical, righteous protagonist. To a great extent, his presence covers up the film's patchiness in the second half." Devgn was nominated for the
Filmfare Best Actor Award The Filmfare Award for Best Actor is an award, begun in 1954, presented annually at the Filmfare Awards to an actor via a jury. This is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi (Bollywood) films. The award was first ...
for this performance. He then worked in
Rohit Shetty Rohit Shetty (born 14 March 1974) is an Indian film director, stuntman, producer and television host who works in Hindi cinema. He is one of the most recognised film director of Hindi Cinema. His movies are often mix genres of action, comedy a ...
's directional debut ''
Zameen Zameen may refer to: * Zameen.com, a Pakistani property website * ''Zameen'' (1943 film), a Bollywood film * ''Zameen'' (2003 film), an Indian action thriller film * ''Zameen'' (novel), an Urdu novel by Khadija Mastoor See also * Zameen ( ...
'' and
J. P. Dutta Jyoti Prakash Dutta (born 3 October 1949) is an Indian Bollywood film producer, writer and director, best known for making patriotic action war films. Personal life Dutta is married to the Bollywood film actress Bindiya Goswami with whom he has ...
's war film ''
LOC Kargil ''LOC Kargil'' is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language historical war film based on the Kargil War fought between India and Pakistan, produced and directed by J. P. Dutta under his banner "J. P. Films". The film features an ensemble cast of Bollywood ...
''. In 2004, Devgn was cast with
Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...
,
Aishwarya Rai Aishwarya Rai Bachchan ( Rai; born 1 November 1973) is an Indian actress who is primarily known for her work in Hindi and Tamil films. The winner of the Miss World 1994 pageant, she has established herself as one of the most popular celebritie ...
and
Akshay Kumar Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia (born 9 September 1967), known professionally as Akshay Kumar (), is an Indian-born naturalised Canadian Quote: "(Former prime minister Stephen) Harper campaigned in 2011 alongside one of Modi's biggest celebrity backer ...
in
Rajkumar Santoshi Rajkumar Santoshi is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter of Hindi films. Having received several accolades including three National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards, he made his directorial debut with the crime film ''Ghayal ( ...
's action thriller ''
Khakee ''Khakee'' (English translation: The Uniform) is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language neo-noir action thriller film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and written by Santoshi and Sridhar Raghavan. The story revolves around an Indian police team on a mi ...
''. The film was released on 23 January 2004. It received positive reviews and became one of the highest-grossing films of 2004. In ''Khakee'', Devgn once again played a villain. His performance as a police officer turned murderer was well received by critics. Taran Adarsh said: "Ajay Devgan adds yet another feather in his cap with a performance that could've been played only by a master performer. His confrontations with Amitabh Bachchan are exemplary." Later in 2004, Devgn appeared in
Indra Kumar Indra Kumar is an Indian film director and producer. He had five Filmfare nominations, has also appeared in number of Gujarati. Kumar's real name is Indra Irani. His latest film produced is Thank God (2022). Kumar debuted into direction as ...
's '' Masti: Sanam Teri Kasam''. He also starred in ''
Yuva ''Yuva'' ( Youth) is an Indian Hindi-language political thriller film directed by Mani Ratnam and released in 2004. The film was simultaneously shot in Tamil as ''Aaytha Ezhuthu'', and it is loosely based on the life story of George Reddy, a s ...
''. Devgn next collaborated with
Rituparno Ghosh Rituparno Ghosh (31 August 1963 – 30 May 2013) was an Indian film director, actor, writer and lyricist. After pursuing a degree in economics, he started his career as a creative artist at an advertising agency. He received recognition for his ...
in the relationship drama ''
Raincoat A raincoat is a waterproof or water-resistant garment worn on the upper body to shield the wearer from rain. The term rain jacket is sometimes used to refer to raincoats with long sleeves that are waist-length. A rain jacket may be combined with ...
'', with Aishwaraya Rai. The film is an adaptation of O. Henry's ''
The Gift of the Magi "The Gift of the Magi" is a short story by O. Henry first published in 1905. The story tells of a young husband and wife and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. As a sentimental ...
''. ''Raincoat'' met with wide critical acclaim and won the
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi The National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India. It is one of several a ...
. Rediff.com Accessed 9 March 2009. Devgn was praised for his performance. Rediff said: "Hesitation, desperation, humiliation – Ajay Devgn conveys them eloquently. His Manoj is no cool dude, but just another lower middle-class guy in misery, with whom none would like to switch place. He particularly stands out in the scenes where he cries in the bathroom, or begs Neeru not to marry someone else." In 2004, Devgn was also seen in a cameo appearance in '' Taarzan: The Wonder Car''. 2005 was a less successful year for Devgn. His movies were not financially successful. They included ''
Insan ''Insan'' () is a 2005 Indian Hindi-language masala film, starring Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Esha Deol, Lara Dutta and Tusshar Kapoor. Directed by K. Subash, it is a remake of Telugu film ''Khadgam'' (2002), directed by Krishna Vamsi. ''Ins ...
'', ''
Blackmail Blackmail is an act of coercion using the threat of revealing or publicizing either substantially true or false information about a person or people unless certain demands are met. It is often damaging information, and it may be revealed to fa ...
'', ''
Main Aisa Hi Hoon ''Main Aisa Hi Hoon'' () is a Hindi-language drama film released in 2005. It was directed by Harry Baweja and stars Ajay Devgn, Sushmita Sen, Esha Deol and Anupam Kher. This film is a remake of the American drama film ''I Am Sam'' written and di ...
'', ''
Tango Charlie ''Tango Charlie'' is a 2005 Indian Hindi-language war film written and directed by Mani Shankar and cinematography is by T. Surendra Reddy. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Bobby Deol, Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Tanisha, Nandana Sen and Sudesh Ber ...
'' and '' Shikhar''. However, the films '' Kaal'' and ''
Apaharan ''Apaharan'' (English: ''Abduction'') is a 2005 Indian Hindi-language crime action film directed by Prakash Jha and stars Ajay Devgn, Bipasha Basu and Nana Patekar in the lead roles. It is the story of a complex relationship and clashing ideo ...
'' did well. For his performance in ''Apaharan'', Devgn was nominated for the
National Film Award for Best Actor The National Film Award for Best Actor, officially known as the Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actor (), is an honour presented annually at the National Film Awards of India instituted since 1967 to actors who have delivered the best performanc ...
and the
Filmfare Best Actor Award The Filmfare Award for Best Actor is an award, begun in 1954, presented annually at the Filmfare Awards to an actor via a jury. This is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi (Bollywood) films. The award was first ...
. His performance as a villain in ''Kaal'' also earned him a nomination for the
Filmfare Best Villain Award The Filmfare Best Villain Award was given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise an actor who had delivered an outstanding performance in a negative role. Although the awards started in 1954, this cate ...
. In 2006 Devgn played
Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...
in '' Omkara'', a Hindi adaptation of
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's ''
Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...
''. It was directed by
Vishal Bhardwaj Vishal Bhardwaj (born 4 August 1965) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, music composer and playback singer. He is known for his work in Hindi cinema, and is the recipient of seven National Film Awards and a Filmfare Award. Bha ...
. The film is a tragedy of sexual jealousy set against the backdrop of the political system in
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
. It premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and was screened at the
Cairo International Film Festival The Cairo International Film Festival ( ar, مهرجان القاهرة السينمائي الدولي) is an annual internationally accredited film festival held in Cairo Opera House. It was established in 1976 and has taken place every year si ...
.Gajjar M. BBC.co.uk May 2006. Accessed 19 May 2009 ''Omkara'' was well received by critics. Rediff said: "Othello is a tricky role, a leading man eclipsed by the villain. Yet the Moor is a brooding and compelling character, and Ajay Devgn does valiantly with his material. Omkara strips Othello of the racism, exchanging his black skin for surprisingly inconsequential half-Brahminism. Ajay's best bits are when restrained, and while there is a bit of a seen-that feel to his character, by the time the film is over, you realise just how unflinchingly solid he's been." Taran Adarsh said: "Ajay makes a stirring and powerful interpretation of a man haunted by uncertainty about his lover's faithfulness. The serious look that Ajay carries suits him to the T. Of course, Ajay is exceptional in the film and looks every inch the character he portrays." In 2006, Devgn also starred in
Rohit Shetty Rohit Shetty (born 14 March 1974) is an Indian film director, stuntman, producer and television host who works in Hindi cinema. He is one of the most recognised film director of Hindi Cinema. His movies are often mix genres of action, comedy a ...
's '' Golmaal''. It had two sequels ''
Golmaal Returns ''Golmaal Returns'' () is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty. Based on the 1973 Hindi film ''Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar'', it serves as the second installment in the '' Golmaal film series''. The film stars Ajay Devgn, A ...
'' and ''
Golmaal 3 ''Golmaal 3'' () is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty and the third film in the '' Golmaal series''. The film contains an ensemble cast starring Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Mithun Chakraborty, Kareena Kapoor, ...
''. In the same year, Devgn was featured in a short documentary about the
Mumbai floods of 2005 The 2005 Maharashtra floods impacted many parts of the Indian state of Maharashtra including large areas of the metropolis Mumbai, a city located on the coast of the Arabian Sea, on the Western coast of India, in which approximately 1,094 peo ...
titled ''The Awakening''. In 2007 Devgn starred in two movies, director
Anubhav Sinha Anubhav Sinha (born 22 June 1965) is an Indian film director, producer and writer who works in Hindi films. He is notable for movies like '' Ra.One'', '' Tum Bin'', '' Dus'', '' Mulk'', '' Article 15'' and ''Thappad''. Early and personal life ...
's action thriller ''
Cash In economics, cash is money in the physical form of currency, such as banknotes and coins. In bookkeeping and financial accounting, cash is current assets comprising currency or currency equivalents that can be accessed immediately or near-imm ...
'' and ''
Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag ''Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag'' (), or simply, ''Aag'' () is a 2007 Indian Hindi-language action drama film produced and directed by Ram Gopal Varma, the film features Amitabh Bachchan, Mohanlal, Ajay Devgn, Prashant Raj Sachdev, Sushmita Sen, J. ...
''. In 2008, Devgn performed in the
social film A social film is a type of interactive film that is presented through the lens of social media. A social film is distributed digitally and integrates with a social networking service, such as Facebook or Google+. It combines features of web video, ...
''
Halla Bol ''Halla Bol'' (''Raise Your Voice'') is an Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. ''Halla Bol'' stars Ajay Devgn and Vidya Balan in pivotal roles and a number of celebrities from the Hindi and other film industries appe ...
'', directed by
Rajkumar Santoshi Rajkumar Santoshi is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter of Hindi films. Having received several accolades including three National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards, he made his directorial debut with the crime film ''Ghayal ( ...
. Also in the cast were
Pankaj Kapoor Pankaj Kapur (born 29 May 1954) is an Indian actor who has worked in Hindi theatre, television and films. He has appeared in several television serials and films. He is the recipient of several awards, including a Filmfare Award and three Nati ...
and
Vidya Balan Vidya Balan (pronounced ; born 1 January 1979) is an Indian actress. Known for pioneering a change in the portrayal of women in Hindi cinema with her roles in female-led films, she is the recipient of several awards, including a National Fi ...
. Box Office India 2008. The film is based on the life of activist
Safdar Hashmi Safdar Hashmi (12 April 1954 – 2 January 1989) was a communist playwright and director, best known for his work with street theatre in India. He was also an actor, lyricist, and theorist, and he is still considered an important voice in Indian ...
, who was killed in 1989 by political rivals while performing in the street play ''Halla Bol''. The film received harsh reviews. In 2008, Devgn also performed in
Rohit Shetty Rohit Shetty (born 14 March 1974) is an Indian film director, stuntman, producer and television host who works in Hindi cinema. He is one of the most recognised film director of Hindi Cinema. His movies are often mix genres of action, comedy a ...
's third film ''
Sunday Sunday is the day of the week between Saturday and Monday. In most Western countries, Sunday is a day of rest and a part of the weekend. It is often considered the first day of the week. For most observant adherents of Christianity, Sunday ...
''. He then took the lead role with Kajol in his own directorial debut film ''
U Me Aur Hum ''U Me Aur Hum'' () is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film co-written, directed, and produced by Ajay Devgn. The film tells the story of Ajay (Devgn), who meets barmaid Piya ( Kajol) on a cruise with his friends (Sumeet Raghavan, ...
''. The film performed moderately well at the box office and earned positive critical reviews for his performance as well as for his direction. Rediff said: "His character grows, discovers both shirt-buttons and subtlety, delivering an intense acting job. Speaking almost entirely in platitudes – pithy at first, profound as he goes on – this grows into an extraordinarily well-written character, replete with flaws and relatability. The way he treats his remorse, drunkenly pointing every finger at himself around a dinner table, is superbly handled, as is his guilty struggle to delineate his life experience from his professional opinion." Devgn also made a cameo appearance in his brother
Anil Devgan Anil Devgan (25 May 1969 — 5 October 2020) was an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, the son of Prem Prakash Devgan, and the first cousin of actor Ajay Devgan. He directed films such as ''Raju Chacha'' and '' Blackmail''. He died at the age of ...
's film ''
Haal–e–dil ''Haal – E – dil'', shortened as HED, (translation: ''The State of Heart''), directed by Anil Devgan, is a 2008 romance film starring Adhyayan Suman and Amita Patak. Story wise, it was the debut of actor, Adhyayan Suman, who is the son of ...
''. He then starred in Afzal Khan's '' Mehbooba''. Again in 2008, Devgn performed in
Rohit Shetty Rohit Shetty (born 14 March 1974) is an Indian film director, stuntman, producer and television host who works in Hindi cinema. He is one of the most recognised film director of Hindi Cinema. His movies are often mix genres of action, comedy a ...
's comedy ''
Golmaal Returns ''Golmaal Returns'' () is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty. Based on the 1973 Hindi film ''Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar'', it serves as the second installment in the '' Golmaal film series''. The film stars Ajay Devgn, A ...
'', a sequel to the 2006 film '' Golmaal: Fun Unlimited'' about a mistrustful wife who believed her husband was unfaithful. ''
The Indian Express ''The Indian Express'' is an English-language Indian daily newspaper founded in 1932. It is published in Mumbai by the Indian Express Group. In 1999, eight years after the group's founder Ramnath Goenka's death in 1991, the group was split betw ...
'' said the screenplay was derivative, concluding: "There is nothing particularly new about a suspicious wife keeping tabs on her husband, and there is nothing particularly new in the way Ajay-Kareena play it." ''Golmaal Returns'' was a financial success with global revenues of . In 2009, Devgn produced his third film, '' All the Best'', directed by
Rohit Shetty Rohit Shetty (born 14 March 1974) is an Indian film director, stuntman, producer and television host who works in Hindi cinema. He is one of the most recognised film director of Hindi Cinema. His movies are often mix genres of action, comedy a ...
. It had some financial success. Box Office India.com Next, Devgn starred in
Vipul Shah Vipul Amrutlal Shah (commonly known as Vipul Shah) is a film producer and director of Hindi films. He began his career with Gujarati theater. He was part/director of a number of Gujarati dramas, some of which were well received by Gujarati audie ...
's ''
London Dreams ''London Dreams'' is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language musical drama film directed and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah. The film stars Ajay Devgn in lead role with Salman Khan in blowing supporting role while Asin plays the female lead.Rannvijay S ...
'', with
Salman Khan Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (; 27 December 1965) is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. In a film career spanning over thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two Nation ...
and the
Tamil film Tamil cinema, also known as Kollywood is a part of Indian Cinema; primarily engaged in production of motion pictures in the Tamil language. Based out of the Kodambakkam neighbourhood in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, it is popularly called ''Kollywood' ...
star
Asin Asin Thottumkal (born 26 October 1985), known mononymously as Asin, is a former Indian actress who appeared predominantly in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu films. She is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. She has received three Filmfare Awards. She ...
. The film was not popular with the public.


Commercial success (2010–present)

In the following decade, Devgn performed roles in ''
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai ''Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai'' is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language gangster film written by Rajat Arora and directed by Milan Luthria. It stars Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut, Prachi Desai and Randeep Hooda. Produced by Ekta Kapoor u ...
'' (2010), ''
Golmaal 3 ''Golmaal 3'' () is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty and the third film in the '' Golmaal series''. The film contains an ensemble cast starring Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Mithun Chakraborty, Kareena Kapoor, ...
'' (2010), ''
Raajneeti ''Raajneeti'' () is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language political thriller film co-written, directed and produced by Prakash Jha, with a screenplay by Anjum Rajabali and Prakash Jha. The film depicts an archetypal conflict between rival political fam ...
'' (2010), ''
Singham ''Singham'' is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Reliance Entertainment, based on a script by writers Yunus Sajawal and Farhad-Sajid. It serves as first installment of Shetty's Cop Universe. A ...
'' (2011), ''
Bol Bachchan ''Bol Bachchan'' is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Ajay Devgn & Dhillin Mehta under Ajay Devgn FFilms and Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Limited respectively, with Fox Star Studios se ...
'' (2012), ''
Son of Sardaar ''Son of Sardaar'' is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Ashwni Dhir. A remake of 2010 Telugu film ''Maryada Ramanna'' directed by S. S. Rajamouli, it featured Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha and Juhi Chawla ...
'' (2012), ''
Singham Returns ''Singham Returns'' is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Rohit Shetty as the second installment of his Cop Universe.
'' (2014) and ''
Drishyam ''Drishyam'' () is a 2013 Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller film written and directed by Jeethu Joseph. It stars Mohanlal and Meena, with Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Asha Sharath, Siddique, Roshan Basheer and N ...
'' (2015). In 2010, Devgn featured in the financially successful comedy ''
Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? ''Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?'' () is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Ashwni Dhir, and produced by Amita Pathak. Loosely based on the short story ''Tum Kab Jaoge, Athithi?'' by Sharad Joshi, the film stars Ajay Devgn, Paresh Rawal ...
'' with Paresh Rawal and
Konkona Sen Sharma Konkona Sen Sharma (born 3 December 1979) is an Indian actress and filmmaker who works primarily in Hindi and Bengali films. She has received two National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards. The daughter of filmmakeractress Aparna Sen, Sen ...
. He then featured in
Prakash Jha Prakash Jha (born 27 February 1952) is an Indian film producer, actor, director and screenwriter, mostly known for his political and socio-political films such as “Hip Hip Hurray” (1984), '' Damul'' (1984), ''Mrityudand'' (1997), ''Gangaaj ...
's political thriller ''
Raajneeti ''Raajneeti'' () is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language political thriller film co-written, directed and produced by Prakash Jha, with a screenplay by Anjum Rajabali and Prakash Jha. The film depicts an archetypal conflict between rival political fam ...
''. ''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 When the film was released, it had positive reviews and was financially successful. Box Office India at Web Archive.com . Accessed 25 August 2011. Again, in 2010, Devgn starred in
Milan Luthria Milan Luthria is an Indian film director who works in Hindi films. He is best known as the director of Ajay Devgan ''Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai'' (2010). He is the nephew of producer and director Mahesh Bhatt. Personal life Milan is the son o ...
's ''
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai ''Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai'' is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language gangster film written by Rajat Arora and directed by Milan Luthria. It stars Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut, Prachi Desai and Randeep Hooda. Produced by Ekta Kapoor u ...
'', 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 Taran Adarsh (born 13 June 1965) is an Indian film critic and trade analyst. He is best known for giving trade figures and box office updates on social media. Career Taran Adarsh started his journalism career at the age of 15 with ''Trade Gui ...
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 Komal Nahta (born 30 April 1964) is an Indian film trade analyst. Nahta is the publisher of "Film Information" and also a television show host. He is an anchor of the trade show ETC Bollywood Business on the Bollywood TV channels ETC and Zee Cinem ...
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 Priyadarshan (born 30 January 1957) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who works predominantly in Malayalam and Hindi films, while also having done six films in Tamil and two films in Telugu. He has done about 31 films in Hi ...
's action-thriller film '' Aakrosh''. The movie explores the subject of
honour killings An honor killing (American English), honour killing (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), or shame killing is the murder of an individual, either an outsider or a member of a family, by someone seeking to protect wha ...
. '' Aakrosh'' received some positive reviews, but was financially unsuccessful. At the end of 2010, Devgn worked again with Rohit Shetty in
Golmaal 3 ''Golmaal 3'' () is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty and the third film in the '' Golmaal series''. The film contains an ensemble cast starring Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Mithun Chakraborty, Kareena Kapoor, ...
, 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 . Devgn also worked as a voice artist in '' Toonpur Ka Super Hero'', an animated film. In 2011, Devgn performed with Emraan Hashmi in
Madhur Bhandarkar Madhur Bhandarkar (born 26 August 1968) is an Indian film director, script writer, and producer. In 2016,Bhandarkar was honoured with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour, by the Government of India. The drama film ''Chandni Ba ...
's comedy ''
Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji ''Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji'' () is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, starring Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi and Omi Vaidya in the lead roles with Shazahn Padamsee, Shruti Haasan, Rituparna Sengupta, Tisca ...
''. He was a narrator in ''
Yamla Pagla Deewana ''Yamla Pagla Deewana'' (; ) is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Samir Karnik, featuring Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, and Bobby Deol in the lead roles. The film marks the second pair-up between the Deol family, after ''A ...
'' and also made a cameo appearance in ''
Ready Ready may refer to: Film and television * ''Ready'', a 2002 British short starring Imelda Staunton * Ready (2008 film), ''Ready'' (2008 film), a Telugu film * Ready (2011 film), ''Ready'' (2011 film), a Hindi remake of the Telugu film * Ready ( ...
''. Devgn starred in Rohit Shetty's ''
Singham ''Singham'' is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Reliance Entertainment, based on a script by writers Yunus Sajawal and Farhad-Sajid. It serves as first installment of Shetty's Cop Universe. A ...
''. 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 David Dhawan (born Rajinder Dhawan; 16 August 1951) is an Indian director of Hindi films. A member of the Dhawan family, he has directed over 42 films. The 1993 action thriller '' Aankhen'' and 1999 comedy '' Biwi No.1'' earned him two Filmfar ...
's
action comedy film Action comedy is a genre that combines aspects of action and comedy. The genre is most prevalent in film with action comedy films, though several TV series fit this genre. Film The action comedy film is a film genre that combines aspects of actio ...
'' Rascals''. The following year, Devgn starred in ''
Tezz ''Tezz'' () is a 2012 Indian action thriller film directed by Priyadarshan. It stars Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut, Zayed Khan, Sameera Reddy and Boman Irani. Malayalam actor Mohanlal appears in an extended cameo appearance. Upon rel ...
'', directed by
Priyadarshan Priyadarshan (born 30 January 1957) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who works predominantly in Malayalam and Hindi films, while also having done six films in Tamil and two films in Telugu. He has done about 31 films in Hi ...
. His co-stars were
Anil Kapoor Anil Kapoor (born 24 December 1956) is an Indian actor and producer who works primarily in Hindi films, besides television and international films and television. In a career spanning over 40 years as an actor and since 2005 as a producer, Kapo ...
,
Boman Irani Boman Irani (born 2 December 1959) is an Indian actor, photographer and voice artist who works predominantly in Hindi cinema he has also worked in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. He has acted in more than a 100 films in his career. Ear ...
,
Kangana Ranaut Kangna Amardeep Ranaut (; born 23 March 1987) is an Indian actress and filmmaker who works in Hindi films. Known for her work in female-led films, she is the recipient of several awards, including four National Film Awards and five Filmfar ...
,
Sameera Reddy Sameera Reddy (born 14 December 1978) is a former Indian actress who primarily worked in Hindi films, in addition to Tamil and Telugu language films. Reddy made her film debut with the 2002 film ''Maine Dil Tujhko Diya''. She is best known for ...
and
Zayed Khan Zayed Abbas Khan (born 5 July 1980) is a former Indian actor and producer who appeared in Hindi films. The son of Bollywood actor Sanjay Khan, he has received a Filmfare Award nomination. After graduating in Business Management at the Montgom ...
. Devgan then starred in Rohit Shetty's film ''
Bol Bachchan ''Bol Bachchan'' is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Ajay Devgn & Dhillin Mehta under Ajay Devgn FFilms and Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Limited respectively, with Fox Star Studios se ...
''. He then starred in ''
Son Of Sardaar ''Son of Sardaar'' is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Ashwni Dhir. A remake of 2010 Telugu film ''Maryada Ramanna'' directed by S. S. Rajamouli, it featured Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha and Juhi Chawla ...
''. In 2013, Devgn featured in the critically and commercially unsuccessful remake of '' Himmatwala''. Devgn next featured in
Prakash Jha Prakash Jha (born 27 February 1952) is an Indian film producer, actor, director and screenwriter, mostly known for his political and socio-political films such as “Hip Hip Hurray” (1984), '' Damul'' (1984), ''Mrityudand'' (1997), ''Gangaaj ...
's political drama ''
Satyagraha Satyagraha ( sa, सत्याग्रह; ''satya'': "truth", ''āgraha'': "insistence" or "holding firmly to"), or "holding firmly to truth",' or "truth force", is a particular form of nonviolent resistance or civil resistance. Someone w ...
''. In 2014, Devgn featured in Rohit Shetty's ''
Singham Returns ''Singham Returns'' is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Rohit Shetty as the second installment of his Cop Universe.
'', a sequel to ''
Singham ''Singham'' is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Reliance Entertainment, based on a script by writers Yunus Sajawal and Farhad-Sajid. It serves as first installment of Shetty's Cop Universe. A ...
''. ''Singham Returns'' received mixed reviews from Indian critics.
Taran Adarsh Taran Adarsh (born 13 June 1965) is an Indian film critic and trade analyst. He is best known for giving trade figures and box office updates on social media. Career Taran Adarsh started his journalism career at the age of 15 with ''Trade Gui ...
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 on the first day of its release in India. Domestic net of ''Singham Returns'' are . Devgn next featured in
Prabhu Deva Prabhu Deva (born 3 April 1973) is an Indian dance choreographer, film director, producer and actor who has worked predominantly in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada language films. In a career spanning 32 years, he has performed and designed a ...
's '' Action Jackson'' which did not perform well at box office. In 2015, Devgn starred in ''
Drishyam ''Drishyam'' () is a 2013 Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller film written and directed by Jeethu Joseph. It stars Mohanlal and Meena, with Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Asha Sharath, Siddique, Roshan Basheer and N ...
'', directed by Nishikant Kamat. The film received positive reviews, Meena Iyer of ''
The Times of India ''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest ...
'' 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 at the domestic box office. In 2016, Devgn was seen in his own production, ''
Shivaay ''Shivaay'' is a 2016 action thriller film directed and produced by Ajay Devgn under his banner Ajay Devgn FFilms. The story and screenplay are written by Sandeep Shrivastava and the film stars Ajay Devgn in the lead titular role along with de ...
'', which released around Diwali 2016. ''Shivaay'' is an action drama movie. Shivaay opened to mixed reviews and grossed more than . In 2017, Devgn featured in director
Milan Luthria Milan Luthria is an Indian film director who works in Hindi films. He is best known as the director of Ajay Devgan ''Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai'' (2010). He is the nephew of producer and director Mahesh Bhatt. Personal life Milan is the son o ...
's ''
Baadshaho ''Baadshaho'' () is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language action-adventure film written by Rajat Arora and directed by Milan Luthria. It stars Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Ileana D'Cruz, Vidyut Jammwal, Esha Gupta and Sanjay Mishra (actor), Sanjay Mishra ...
'' and
Rohit Shetty Rohit Shetty (born 14 March 1974) is an Indian film director, stuntman, producer and television host who works in Hindi cinema. He is one of the most recognised film director of Hindi Cinema. His movies are often mix genres of action, comedy a ...
's ''
Golmaal Again ''Golmaal Again'' () is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language supernatural comedy film written and directed by Rohit Shetty; produced by Rohit Shetty Pictures, Mangal Murti Films and Reliance Entertainment. The film is the fourth installment of '' Gol ...
''. 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 Raj Kumar Gupta is an Indian film writer and director, known for his work in Hindi cinema. He made his directorial debut with the critically acclaimed '' Aamir'' (2008). He then went on to write and direct ''No One Killed Jessica'' (2011), base ...
's ''
Raid Raid, RAID or Raids may refer to: Attack * Raid (military), a sudden attack behind the enemy's lines without the intention of holding ground * Corporate raid, a type of hostile takeover in business * Panty raid, a prankish raid by male college ...
'' where he plays the role of an honest
Indian Revenue Service The Indian Revenue Service (IAST: ), often abbreviated as IRS, is an Indian government agency that is primarily responsible for collecting and administering direct and indirect taxes. As a central civil service under Group A of the executiv ...
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 ''De De Pyaar De'' () is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film written by Luv Ranjan and directed by Akiv Ali in his directorial debut. It was produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg under their resp ...
'' alongside
Tabu Tabu may refer to: Cultural and legal concepts *Taboo (spelled ''tabu'' in earlier historical records), something that is unacceptable in society *Tapu (Polynesian culture) (also spelled ''tabu''), a Polynesian cultural concept from which the wor ...
and
Rakul Preet Singh Rakul Preet Singh (born 10 October 1990) is an Indian actress who predominantly works in Telugu, Hindi and Tamil films. She made her acting debut with the Kannada film '' Gilli'' (2009). She has won several awards including a SIIMA Award with ...
. In early 2020, Devgn portrayed the role of 17th-century military leader
Tanaji Malusare Tanaji Malusare was a warrior and commander of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. A local poet Tulsidas, wrote a powada describing Tanaji's heroics and sacrifice of life in the Battle of Sinhagad, which has since made him a popular figure in Indian ...
in an eponymously titled film, '' Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior''; directed by
Om Raut Om Raut is an Indian filmmaker. Raut has received 68th National Film Awards for Best Popular Film for the film ''Tanhaji''. He received several accolades for his 2015 film '' Lokmanya: Ek Yug Purush''. Raut's upcoming working is the hindu my ...
. The film was released on 10 January 2020 and went on to win three
National Film Awards The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorat ...
, 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 Sanjay Balraj Dutt (born 29 July 1959) is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi cinema. In a career spanning over four decades, Dutt has won several accolades and acted in over 100 films, ranging from romance to comedy genres, though u ...
,
Sharad Kelkar Sharad Kelkar (born 7 October 1976) is an Indian film actor and voice artist from Mumbai, Maharashtra. He works primarly in Hindi films, Marathi films. Kelkar has appeared as lead in television serials for brief period of time, now he do web se ...
,
Nora Fatehi Nora Fatehi (born 6 February 1992) is a Canadian actress, model, dancer, singer, and producer who is predominantly known for her work in the Indian film industry. She has appeared in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam films. She made her debut ...
and
Sonakshi Sinha Sonakshi Sinha (; born 2 June 1987) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. After working as a costume designer in independent films, she made her acting with the action film ''Dabangg'' in 2010, which won her the Filmfare Award for Bes ...
in the historical film, '' Bhuj: The Pride of India'' and had a cameo in ''
Sooryavanshi ''Sooryavanshi'' is a 2021 Indian Hindi-language action film written and directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Reliance Entertainment, Rohit Shetty Picturez, Dharma Productions and Cape of Good Films. The fourth installment of Shetty's ' ...
'', 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 Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
. 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 ''Gangubai Kathiawadi'' is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language biographical crime drama film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and produced by Bhansali and Jayantilal Gada. The film stars Alia Bhatt as the titular character with Ajay Devgn, Shantanu ...
'' and S. S. Rajamouli's ''
RRR RRR may refer to: Art and entertainment * ''RRR'' (film), an Indian Telugu film Industry film ** ''RRR'' (soundtrack), soundtrack album of the film of the same name * RRRecords, a record label * '' Roots Rock Riot'', a 2007 album by Skindred * ...
'', for which he got great admiration. Later that year, he starred in the sequel to ''
Drishyam ''Drishyam'' () is a 2013 Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller film written and directed by Jeethu Joseph. It stars Mohanlal and Meena, with Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Asha Sharath, Siddique, Roshan Basheer and N ...
'', ''
Drishyam 2 ''Drishyam 2: The Resumption'', or simply ''Drishyam 2'' is a 2021 Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller film written and directed by Jeethu Joseph and produced by Antony Perumbavoor through the company Aashirvad Cinemas.A sequel to thei ...
'', 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: The Unsung Warrior''.


Filmography


Production

Ajay Devgn FFilms Ajay Devgn FFilms is an Indian film production and distribution company established by actor Ajay Devgn & his father Veeru Devgan in 2000. Based in Mumbai, it mainly produces and distributes Hindi films. In 2000, ADFF released its first film, ...
is an Indian film
production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...
and
distribution Distribution may refer to: Mathematics *Distribution (mathematics), generalized functions used to formulate solutions of partial differential equations * Probability distribution, the probability of a particular value or value range of a vari ...
company established by actor Ajay Devgn in 2000. Based in
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
, it mainly produces and distributes
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
films. In 2000, ADF released its first film,
Raju Chacha ''Raju Chacha'' () is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Anil Devgan and produced by his brother Ajay Devgn, debuting as a film producer. The film stars Ajay, Kajol and Rishi Kapoor, along with Sanjay Dutt in a special ...
. The film starred Devgn himself as the lead actor and his wife
Kajol Kajol Devgan (née Mukherjee; born 5 August 1974), known mononymously as Kajol, is an Indian actress. Described in the media as one of the most successful actresses of Hindi cinema, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six F ...
as the lead actress. ''Raju Chacha'' received mixed reviews but grossed Rs 82.5 million at the box office. In 2008, Devgn co-produced the drama ''
U Me Aur Hum ''U Me Aur Hum'' () is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film co-written, directed, and produced by Ajay Devgn. The film tells the story of Ajay (Devgn), who meets barmaid Piya ( Kajol) on a cruise with his friends (Sumeet Raghavan, ...
'', which marked his directorial debut. Devgn also played the lead role in the film, sharing the screen again with Kajol. The film was written by Devgn himself and three other writers. Critical reception was generally positive, with
Taran Adarsh Taran Adarsh (born 13 June 1965) is an Indian film critic and trade analyst. He is best known for giving trade figures and box office updates on social media. Career Taran Adarsh started his journalism career at the age of 15 with ''Trade Gui ...
giving the film 4 out of 5 stars and describing it as "A well-made, absorbing love story that's high on emotional quotient". In 2009, Devgn released and acted in his home production '' All the Best: Fun Begins'', which was directed by
Rohit Shetty Rohit Shetty (born 14 March 1974) is an Indian film director, stuntman, producer and television host who works in Hindi cinema. He is one of the most recognised film director of Hindi Cinema. His movies are often mix genres of action, comedy a ...
and also starring,
Sanjay Dutt Sanjay Balraj Dutt (born 29 July 1959) is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi cinema. In a career spanning over four decades, Dutt has won several accolades and acted in over 100 films, ranging from romance to comedy genres, though u ...
,
Fardeen Khan Fardeen Khan (; born 8 March 1974) is an Indian actor. He is the recipient of a Filmfare Award (1999) and is the son of the actor, director, and film producer Feroz Khan. Early life and education Fardeen Khan was born on 8 March 1974 in Mumba ...
,
Bipasha Basu Bipasha Basu Singh Grover (born 7 January 1979) is an Indian actress and former model. Primarily known for her work in Hindi films, she has also appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and English films. Basu is the recipient of numerous accolade ...
and
Mugdha Godse Mugdha Veira Godse is an Indian actress and model who appears in Hindi films. A former model, Godse was a semi-finalist at the Femina Miss India 2004 competition. She made her acting debut in Madhur Bhandarkar's 2008 film, ''Fashion''. She was ...
. The film was released on 16 October 2009 and received positive response from critics. It was rated a hit in India, and is the twelfth highest grossing Bollywood film of 2009. In 2014, ADF produced ''
Singham Returns ''Singham Returns'' is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Rohit Shetty as the second installment of his Cop Universe.
'' starring Devgn and
Kareena Kapoor Kareena Kapoor Khan (; ''née'' Kapoor; born 21 September 1980) is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood, Hindi films. She is the daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita, and the younger sister of actress Karisma Kapoor. Noted for pl ...
. In 2016 Devgn produced and starred in ''
Shivaay ''Shivaay'' is a 2016 action thriller film directed and produced by Ajay Devgn under his banner Ajay Devgn FFilms. The story and screenplay are written by Sandeep Shrivastava and the film stars Ajay Devgn in the lead titular role along with de ...
'' which is to be the most expensive film of his production. In late December 2017, ADF collaborated with
Fox Star Studios Star Studios (formerly known as Fox Star Studios) is an Indian motion picture production and distribution company. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Disney Star, part of the Disney International Operations segment of The Walt Disney Company. Th ...
to produce ''
Total Dhamaal ''Total Dhamaal'' (also known as ''Dhamaal 3'') is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language adventure comedy film directed and written by Indra Kumar and loosely based on the 1963 Hollywood film ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' with some scenes borrow ...
'' starring Devgn,
Riteish Deshmukh Riteish Vilasrao Deshmukh (born 17 December 1978) is an Indian actor, comedian, television presenter, writer, director and film producer. He is the son of former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh. He works in Hindi and Marathi cin ...
,
Arshad Warsi Arshad Warsi (born 19 April 1968) is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi films. He is the recipient of several awards including a Filmfare Award from five nominations and is noted for acting in varied film genres. Before making his acting deb ...
,
Javed Jaffrey Syed Jaaved Ahmed Jaaferi (born 4 December 1963) is an Indian actor, dancer, and comedian who has appeared in Hindi films and television shows. He is son of the comedian Jagdeep. He joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in March, 2014 and contested ...
,
Madhuri Dixit Madhuri Dixit Nene (née Dixit; born 15 May 1967) is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi films. A leading actress of Indian cinema, she has appeared in over 70 films. Noted by critics for her beauty, dancing skills, and characters, ...
, and
Anil Kapoor Anil Kapoor (born 24 December 1956) is an Indian actor and producer who works primarily in Hindi films, besides television and international films and television. In a career spanning over 40 years as an actor and since 2005 as a producer, Kapo ...
.


NY VFXWAALA

In October 2015, Devgn established a
visual effects Visual effects (sometimes abbreviated VFX) is the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live-action shot in filmmaking and video production. The integration of live-action footage and other live-action foota ...
company, NY VFXWAALA, after his children. It has been involved with many major films, such as ''
Prem Ratan Dhan Payo ''Prem Ratan Dhan Payo'' () is a 2015 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film written and directed by Sooraj Barjatya. Produced by Rajshri Productions, it stars Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoor. Neil Nitin Mukesh, Anupam Kher, Swara Bhaskar, Deepa ...
'', ''
Tamasha Tamasha ( mr, तमाशा) is a traditional form of Marathi theatre, often with singing and dancing, widely performed by local or travelling theatre groups within the state of Maharashtra, India."Tamasha", in James R. Brandon and Martin Banham ...
'', ''
Bajirao Mastani ''Bajirao Mastani'' is a 2015 Indian Hindi-language epic historical romance film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who co-produced it with Eros International and composed its soundtrack. The film stars Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priy ...
'', '' Mersal'', '' Dilwale'', ''
Force 2 ''Force 2'' is a 2016 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Abhinay Deo, which features John Abraham, Tahir Raj Bhasin and Sonakshi Sinha in the lead roles. It is a sequel to the 2011 film ''Force'', and the second installmen ...
'', and ''
Simmba ''Simmba'' is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Rohit Shetty from a script written by Yunus Sajawal and Sajid-Farhad. The third installment of Shetty's Cop Universe film franchise, the film was produced by Shetty and Relian ...
''. The company won the Best Special Effects award at the
64th National Film Awards The 64th National Film Awards was an award ceremony during which the Directorate of Film Festivals presents its annual National Film Awards to honour the best films of 2016 in the Indian cinema. The awards were announced on 7 April 2017, and th ...
for the film ''
Shivaay ''Shivaay'' is a 2016 action thriller film directed and produced by Ajay Devgn under his banner Ajay Devgn FFilms. The story and screenplay are written by Sandeep Shrivastava and the film stars Ajay Devgn in the lead titular role along with de ...
'' (2016).


Other works

Devgn's production company
Ajay Devgn FFilms Ajay Devgn FFilms is an Indian film production and distribution company established by actor Ajay Devgn & his father Veeru Devgan in 2000. Based in Mumbai, it mainly produces and distributes Hindi films. In 2000, ADFF released its first film, ...
, was established in 2000. The company's first film was ''
Raju Chacha ''Raju Chacha'' () is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Anil Devgan and produced by his brother Ajay Devgn, debuting as a film producer. The film stars Ajay, Kajol and Rishi Kapoor, along with Sanjay Dutt in a special ...
'' (2000), starring Devgan and Kajol. In 2008, Devgn made his directorial debut and co-produced ''
U Me Aur Hum ''U Me Aur Hum'' () is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film co-written, directed, and produced by Ajay Devgn. The film tells the story of Ajay (Devgn), who meets barmaid Piya ( Kajol) on a cruise with his friends (Sumeet Raghavan, ...
''. Devgn was part of the drama film's team of four writers. The film tells the story of a woman (Kajol) who has a very weak memory and even forgets her own husband.
Taran Adarsh Taran Adarsh (born 13 June 1965) is an Indian film critic and trade analyst. He is best known for giving trade figures and box office updates on social media. Career Taran Adarsh started his journalism career at the age of 15 with ''Trade Gui ...
, a film critic, described it as "a well-made, absorbing love story that's high on the emotional quotient." Bollywood Hungama. Accessed 12 April 2008. In 2009, Devgn released his home production '' All the Best: Fun Begins'', which was directed by
Rohit Shetty Rohit Shetty (born 14 March 1974) is an Indian film director, stuntman, producer and television host who works in Hindi cinema. He is one of the most recognised film director of Hindi Cinema. His movies are often mix genres of action, comedy a ...
and starred Devgn,
Sanjay Dutt Sanjay Balraj Dutt (born 29 July 1959) is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi cinema. In a career spanning over four decades, Dutt has won several accolades and acted in over 100 films, ranging from romance to comedy genres, though u ...
,
Fardeen Khan Fardeen Khan (; born 8 March 1974) is an Indian actor. He is the recipient of a Filmfare Award (1999) and is the son of the actor, director, and film producer Feroz Khan. Early life and education Fardeen Khan was born on 8 March 1974 in Mumba ...
,
Bipasha Basu Bipasha Basu Singh Grover (born 7 January 1979) is an Indian actress and former model. Primarily known for her work in Hindi films, she has also appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and English films. Basu is the recipient of numerous accolade ...
and
Mugdha Godse Mugdha Veira Godse is an Indian actress and model who appears in Hindi films. A former model, Godse was a semi-finalist at the Femina Miss India 2004 competition. She made her acting debut in Madhur Bhandarkar's 2008 film, ''Fashion''. She was ...
. The film was released on 16 October 2009, and was the ninth-highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2009. In 2012, Devgn starred in
Rohit Shetty Rohit Shetty (born 14 March 1974) is an Indian film director, stuntman, producer and television host who works in Hindi cinema. He is one of the most recognised film director of Hindi Cinema. His movies are often mix genres of action, comedy a ...
's romantic
action comedy film Action comedy is a genre that combines aspects of action and comedy. The genre is most prevalent in film with action comedy films, though several TV series fit this genre. Film The action comedy film is a film genre that combines aspects of actio ...
''
Bol Bachchan ''Bol Bachchan'' is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Ajay Devgn & Dhillin Mehta under Ajay Devgn FFilms and Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Limited respectively, with Fox Star Studios se ...
'', which was a joint production with
Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Limited was a film production and distribution company that produced and distributed Hindi films. The chief of the company was Dhillin Mehta. Television Ashtavinayak Cine Vision produced the serial Aamrapali (TV ...
. It also featured
Abhishek Bachchan Abhishek Bachchan (born 5 February 1976) is an Indian actor and film producer known for his work in Hindi films. Part of the Bachchan family, he is the son of actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan and the grandson of poet Harivansh Rai Bach ...
,
Asin Asin Thottumkal (born 26 October 1985), known mononymously as Asin, is a former Indian actress who appeared predominantly in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu films. She is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. She has received three Filmfare Awards. She ...
and
Prachi Desai Prachi Desai (born 12 September 1988), is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films and television. She started her television career as a lead in the successful TV drama '' Kasam Se'' on Zee TV. She made her Bollywood debut in the 2008 film ' ...
. The film, made with a budget of , is an official remake of ''
Gol Maal ''Gol Maal'' () is a 1979 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and written by Rahi Masoom Raza and Sachin Bhowmick. It was produced by N. C. Sippy, with music by R. D. Burman. The film won several awards and was pr ...
'' (1979). The film was released on 6 July 2012 in about 2,575 cinemas around the world and had 2,700 prints. It received mixed reviews but had a good opening at the box office. The film had record advance bookings. ''Bol Bachchan'' was one of the
highest-grossing Bollywood films This is a ranking of the highest grossing Indian films which includes films from various languages based on the conservative global box office estimates as reported by reputable sources. There is no official tracking of domestic box office fi ...
. It took . Devgn also starred in
Ashwni Dhir Ashwni Dhir (born 23 September 1968) is an Indian film director and scriptwriter. He has also written and produced various TV serials for SAB TV He has directed films like ''One Two Three'' (2008), ''Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?'' (2010), ''Son Of S ...
's romantic
action comedy film Action comedy is a genre that combines aspects of action and comedy. The genre is most prevalent in film with action comedy films, though several TV series fit this genre. Film The action comedy film is a film genre that combines aspects of actio ...
''
Son of Sardaar ''Son of Sardaar'' is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Ashwni Dhir. A remake of 2010 Telugu film ''Maryada Ramanna'' directed by S. S. Rajamouli, it featured Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha and Juhi Chawla ...
'', which was a joint production with Viacom 18 Motion Pictures. The film was released on 13 November 2012. Despite competition with Yash Raj's film ''
Jab Tak Hai Jaan ''Jab Tak Hai Jaan'' (), also simply known as ''JTHJ'', is a 2012 Cinema of India, Indian Bollywood, Hindi-Hindi, language romantic drama film directed by Yash Chopra and written and produced by his son Aditya Chopra under their banner Yash Ra ...
'', ''Son of Sardaar'' was a financial success. It made . In 2018, Ajay Devgn released his first
Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people *Palaiosouda, also known as Marathi, a small island in Greece See also * * ...
production
Aapla Manus ''Aapla Manus'' (English: ''Our Man'') is a 2018 Indian Marathi language mystery film directed by Satish Rajwade and produced by Ajay Devgn and Abhinav Shukla. A film adaptation of the Marathi play ''Katkon Trikon'' by Dr Vivek Bele, the film st ...
. The movie was in Marathi language. It was directed by
Satish Rajwade Satish Rajwade (born 9 January 1973) is an Indian Marathi film and television director and writer. He has also acted in few Hindi films and Marathi television series. Career Rajwade started his career with acting in various Hindi and Marathi f ...
and starred
Nana Patekar Vishwanath Patekar (born 1 January 1951), better known as Nana Patekar, is an Indian actor, screenwriter, film maker, and a former Indian Territorial Army officer, mainly working in Hindi and Marathi cinema. He is regarded as one of the finest a ...
,
Iravati Harshe Iravati Harshe is an Indian actress and dubbing artist. Harshe has worked in many television serials. She is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. Filmography * ''Split Wide Open'' (1999) * ''Hey Ram'' (Hindi, 2000) * '' Shararat'' (Hindi, 2002) * ...
, and
Sumeet Raghavan Sumeet Raghavan is an Indian film, television, and theatre actor known for his roles in '' Wagle Ki Duniya - Nayi Peedi Naye Kissey,'' Hudd Kar Di'', '' Sarabhai vs Sarabhai'', ''Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo'', ''Badi Door Se Aaye Hai'', and Sa ...
. The film was produced by Ajay Devgn,
Nana Patekar Vishwanath Patekar (born 1 January 1951), better known as Nana Patekar, is an Indian actor, screenwriter, film maker, and a former Indian Territorial Army officer, mainly working in Hindi and Marathi cinema. He is regarded as one of the finest a ...
, Abhinav Shuklaa, Manish Mishra, & Rohit Choudhary and released on 9 February 2018. The story was a dramatic thriller and written by Vivek Bele. The film was distributed by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures.


Awards and honours


See also

*
Ajay Devgn filmography Ajay Devgn is an Indian actor, director and producer who works in Hindi films. He debuted as an actor in ''Phool Aur Kaante'' (1991), which won him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. Devgn then played a kickboxer in the martial arts film '' ...
*
List of Indian film actors Lists of Indian actors cover actors from India, who portray characters in the theater, film, radio, or television. The lists are organized by medium, language and type of actor. By medium * List of Indian male film actors * List of Indian film ac ...
*
Ajay Devgn FFilms Ajay Devgn FFilms is an Indian film production and distribution company established by actor Ajay Devgn & his father Veeru Devgan in 2000. Based in Mumbai, it mainly produces and distributes Hindi films. In 2000, ADFF released its first film, ...


References


Bibliography

* *


External links


Official Site
* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Devgn, Ajay Ajay Devgn Indian male film actors Indian Hindus Punjabi Hindus 1969 births Living people Best Actor National Film Award winners Filmfare Awards winners Screen Awards winners Zee Cine Awards winners Male actors from Delhi Film producers from Mumbai Film directors from Mumbai Hindi-language film directors Male actors in Hindi cinema Punjabi people Mithibai College alumni 21st-century Indian male actors 20th-century Indian male actors Male actors from Mumbai Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts Male actors from New Delhi Hindi film producers