Ajay Devgn speaks to Eastern Eye about his new film Baadshaho, kids and competition!

Many actors have come and gone since he made his acting debut in Bollywood with the action romance film Phool Aur Kaante (1991), but no one could ever displace Ajay Devgn from his top position. He was, and is, and might remain, for the longest time, one of the most versatile actors of Indian cinema. The two time National Awards and four Filmfare Awards winner actor was last seen in his own directorial venture Shivaay (2016), and now he is gearing up for the release of Milan Luthira's Baadshaho, which also features Emraan Hashmi, Ileana D'Cruz, Esha Gupta and Vidyut Jammwal in principal roles. Our Mumbai correspondent recently caught up with the superstar to talk about his upcoming film, kids and his interest in the digital medium. Excerpts...

You starred in Milan Luthria's debut film Kachche Dhaage and since then both of you have done three films together. Baadshaho is going to be your fourth association. How did this film happen?

I don't know how true is that but people in Rajasthan talk about a Rajasthani queen who had huge reserves of hidden gold. When the government called for an emergency in 1975, they got to know about it and seized it. But before they could shift it to some safer place, the whole gold was stolen. The man who carried out this gold heist was never found.

We heard this story when Milan and I were shooting for Kachche Dhaage (1999) in Rajasthan. Two years back, Milan met me with a script, but then we recalled that story and decided to develop it into a script. Milan worked on the idea for a year and came up with a brilliant script. Baadshaho is not a film just about a heist. Apart from taking the basic idea from that incident, we have also created a few amazing characters which will give an edge to the story and make it more beautiful. Baadshaho is a very nice relationship drama.

When there is Ajay Devgn, action has to be a vital part of the film. So, can we expect some breathtaking action sequences in this film also?

The film definitely has action but it is very limited. We have used action only where it was required. We haven't overdone it. The film has a certain amount of thrill that gives you the required jerk. It’s a different film.

Supreme Court Of India has just nullified the practice of triple talaq in the country. What do you have to say about that?

I think everyone is happy that the Supreme Court has taken this decision. Everyone was expected this kind of decision from the apex court. It is indeed a very good step. You just cannot say “talaq” thrice and say that you are separated.

You are uniting with Emraan Hashmi for the second time after Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010). How do you think both of you have evolved as actors over these years?

In the earlier film, we were pitted against each other and here we are together. It’s just that we have developed a great rapport with each other and are more comfortable with each other.

Pahlaj Nihalani has been dethroned as the CBFC chief. Do you think it will bring in some respite for the filmmakers and make their jobs a bit easier and linear?

I think Prasoon Joshi is very sensible and goes with the times. It's really a good thing. Having said that, I personally never had any issues with Pahlaj Nihalani. He helped me and many other members of the film fraternity on several occasions. I have always maintained a cordial relationship with him.

You have seen many hits and flops in your career and your last film Shivaay didn't live up to the expectations. How much of it affects you and your mental well-being?

After having worked for so many years in the industry, all these things do not matter. I have been working in this industry for 26 long years. Just kick up some dust and move on. I consider myself fortunate enough that I didn’t have to work or go an extra mile to achieve things. I think I was destined to be like this.

Milan Luthria has a great affinity towards the horses and that is evident from the breathtaking song sequence shown in the film. How difficult was it to shoot along with the horses?

The shoot required more coordination among the horses. I just had to walk on the straight line. I just had to be braver because when the horse comes near to you, you got to stay brave and also you have to take the necessary precautions and guard yourself. The jockeys had to make sure that the horses were in momentum and made them obey the orders.

Aamir Khan's Secret Superstar and your film Golmaal Again are going to clash at the box office. Does it lead to any kind of tension or insecurity?

Both of them are completely different films. They belong to different genres. If you want to see Secret Superstar, you will watch it and vice versa. They are just two different films.

Recently, many films are being made on emergency with the recent one being Indu Sarkar (2017). Is your film being made on the similar grounds?

Our film just has the backdrop and the atmosphere. We did not go into the detailing but have just tried to showcase the difficulties which people had to undergo back then.

Whenever a filmmaker makes a film related to history, it certainly has some kind of restrictions and hence he refrains from taking few cinematic liberties. How difficult is it for you as an actor to cope up with the issue?

It is really very difficult because when you make films on legendary personalities like Bhagat Singh, you have certain kind of responsibility attached to it. When I was doing the film (The Legend of Bhagat Singh), his own brother used to accompany us on the sets and tell us various stories about him. It indeed feels very surreal that how could one stay like that? He made us feel that how great freedom father Bhagat Singh was. When you do such kind of films, you have a certain kind of stress brimming up inside you because you have to do full justice to the character. You have to show a real life hero in every right sense possible.

There was a time when star power had its dominance over cinema. But today the scenario is extremely different. A film works purely on the basis of its script and content, while star power has become secondary. How do you see this change?

I think audiences have become sensible enough that they really want rich scripts and meaningful stories. Frivolousness gets you nowhere. It’s not scary, it is a welcoming change. If the film is good, the stardom does not matter or maybe it will double. Audiences are changing and I see it as a good change.

Does that mean that stardom has come to a standstill?

Star system cannot come to a standstill. Not in the wildest of dreams. If it is a non-star film but a good film, it will double the profit. But stars have their own following. Also, the films which have bombed at the box office, have certainly got an opening in the beginning. You cannot take everything for granted and that you cannot sell frivolous stuff. You should show your talent, explore different genres. At the end, the script matters. If you sell good stuff, you get good results.

What kind of equation do you share with your kids?

I share a healthy equation with my kids. But I feel they have a certain kind of pressure on them as they don’t get the freedom they deserve. I feel you should not do that to them (clicking pictures). They are innocent souls and they have every right to enjoy their life.

How much do box office numbers and competitors matter to you at this point in time?

I never felt there was any kind of competition, and box office numbers don’t matter much. We all are friends and we never think of each other as rivals or competitors. You should be satisfied with the film. There is no such thing as competition. It just exists in the mind. I never felt insecure with multi-starrer movies or there is no fear of encroachment of space. I am confident about what I do and feel work speaks for itself.

In a recent interview, Emraan Hashmi just said that you just don’t rehearse your dialogues and are very spontaneous.

That’s true! I don’t really mouth the dialogues. I take the script, read it and then just say it. I may give off vibes that I am very intense or serious about it, but it’s exactly the opposite. I hardly read it. It just takes me a few seconds. I believe in spontaneity.

Of late, we have been observing that you have set a different scale for yourself with the choices you have been making.

I think you have to learn to strike a balance when you choose your films. If you are doing a Golmaal, then you should do a Taanaji too. I am doing a thriller Raid, which is about income tax raids. I am trying to explore my abilities to the fullest. Like audiences are changing, we are also adapting ourselves. I have recently completed a film with Nana Patekar, then I am doing a television series also.

Web series is something that is the current trend. How do you see this change and do you see yourself exploring this new medium in the near future?

I am presently working on some beautiful scripts and you will know about them sooner. I would want to do it (web-series). Films and web series are two different things. So they have their own benefits. I think the audiences have become very accepting of new things.

Baadshaho releases on 1st September 2017.