Published By: Sayan Paul

33 Years Of Ajay Devgn In Bollywood: The 'Singham' Star Actually Wanted To Be A Director, And Not Actor

Besides being a successful actor, Devgn has also donned the director's hat several times in his career.

"Be it acting or directing, I like to break rules." - Ajay Devgn

Two motorcycles, side by side, and a man - tall, dark, and handsome - standing on them with one foot on each. That's how the journey of Ajay Devgn in Bollywood began. It was 1991, exactly 33 years ago, and the film was 'Phool Aur Kaante'. The stunt became a rage at the time and is now widely considered at par with the iconic bike scenes of Amitabh Bachchan in 'Muqaddar Ka Sikandar', Jackie Shroff in 'Hero', Sanjay Dutt in 'Rocky', and Shah Rukh Khan in 'Deewana' among others. And the actor, who didn't even look like a Bollywood hero, went on to rule our hearts for decades to come.

Ajay Devgn doing the iconic split on two bikes in his Bollywood debut film ‘Phool Aur Kaante’

Ajay Devgn completes 33 years in Hindi cinema as a lead actor. One of the industry's finest actors and most bankable stars today, he has delivered numerous blockbusters over the years and won many accolades including four National Film Awards. And besides being a successful actor, he has occasionally directed as well as produced a few films as well. And man, it goes without saying that he is as good behind the camera as he is in front of it. However, did you know it's the direction that he actually wanted to pursue, and not acting?

Credit: ajaydevgn

Today, we celebrate Devgn's journey by exploring that in this article.

Ajay Devgn Wanted To Be A Director, And Not Actor

The 'Singham' actor grew up in a 'filmy' family, as his father Veeru Devgan was a stunt choreographer and action-film director, while his mother Veena Devgan is a film producer. Also, his cousin Anil Devgan is a filmmaker and screenwriter. Hence, while growing up, he aspired to become a director and not an actor.

However, things didn't go as planned, and hence Devgn ended up becoming an actor.

Ajay Devgn in ‘Maidaan’

As Rohit Shetty, Devgn's childhood friend and filmmaker, shared in an interview, "This may come as a surprise, but since the time I have known Ajay, he has always wanted to be a director. His technical knowledge as a director is unparalleled and you will get to see that in 'Runway 34' where he has shot with 10-13 cameras in a cockpit. Shooting with heavy equipment in such a confined space is not an easy task. In addition to acting and direction, Ajay is the producer of the film as well. And let me tell you, he is one producer, who goes all out if he believes in the script. He won't hold back from spending on the film and I have personally seen that happening with 'Raju Chacha', that film was made on a budget of Rs 38 crore at a time when most Bollywood films were made for Rs 7-8 crore."

Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty are long-time friends

Notably, while promoting 'Auron Mein Kaha Dum Tha', actress Tabu spoke about the same as well, saying, "... Ajay was always very passionate about cinema. He wanted to be a director. He never wanted to be an actor. He used to make these short films."

Ajay Devgn - The Director

Well, even after becoming a massive star as an actor, Devgn has always kept the director in him alive. And he has made several films over the years, receiving critical as well as commercial success.

Devgn made his directorial debut in 2008 with the romantic drama, 'U Me Aur Hum'. He also starred in the film as the lead alongside Kajol, Karan Khanna, Isha Sharvani, and Divya Dutta among others. It received mixed reviews, however, was a commercial success with a box office of Rs 40.02 crore (budget: Rs 25 crore).

After 'U Me Aur Hum', Devgn returned as a director in 2016 with 'Shivaay'. The film, a high-budget action thriller, was screened at the 2017 Shanghai International Film Festival and won the 64th National Film Award for Best Special Effects in 2017. And as far as the box office is concerned, it garnered Rs 148.91 crore against a production budget of Rs 125 crore. Devgn starred as the lead alongside Sayyeshaa, Erika Kaar, and Vir Das among others.

Credit: Reliance Entertainment

'Runway 34', released in 2022, is Devgn's third film as the director. Starring Ajay Devgn, Amitabh Bachchan, and Rakul Preet Singh as the lead, the film is based on an aviation incident in 2015 that involved a Jet Airways flight 9W-555 from Doha to Kochi. It received mixed to positive reviews and collected Rs 81 crore at the box office.

Credit: taranadarsh

The list also includes the 2023 film 'Bholaa' which stars Devgn as the lead, alongside Tabu, Deepak Dobriyal, and Sanjay Mishra among others. The action thriller film is a remake of the 2019 Tamil-language film 'Kaithi', directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed ₹111 crore worldwide.

Credit: Ajay Devgn

Notably, at the recently held Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2024, Devgn announced that he is currently working on his next directorial venture, which will feature Akshay Kumar in the lead role.