Vishal Veeru "Ajay" Devgan (, born 2 April 1969 in
New Delhi,
India), is a
National Film Award-winning actor who appears in Hindi (
Bollywood) films. Beginning his career as an action hero in the early 1990s, Devgan has since established himself as one of the actors open to serious roles in Bollywood. In 2008 he ventured into directing as well with
U, Me Aur Hum, which saw him starring in the lead role alongside his wife, popular actress
Kajol.
Biography
Devgan and his family originate from Punjab. His father, Veeru Devgan, is a stunt choreographer and his mother, Veena Devgan, has produced one film. Anil Devgan, his brother, is a Bollywood film director. He is a graduate of Bappu School in Juhu and Mithibai College. On February 23 1999, he married actress
Kajol and has one daughter. In August 2009, Devgan changed his last name to Devgn on the request of his mother, Veena.
[www.cinecurry.com/news/celebrity-news/hindi/ajay-devgan-now-ajay-devgn]
Career
[
z mężem Ajay'em Devganem.jpg|right|thumb|Ajay Devgan with his wife, [[Kajol].]]Devgan made his film debut with
Phool Aur Kaante (1991), in which he played the son of antagonist
Amrish Puri. His performance won him a
Filmfare Best Debut Award. Many of his early movies were of the action genre. He worked with director
Deepak Bahry on the action film
Ek Hi Raasta opposite
Raveena Tandon. He soon began starring in comedy films, such as
Ishq in 1997.
In 1999, Devgan was the leading actor in
Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, one of the biggest hits of that year. He next starred in
Mahesh Bhatt's
Zakhm. The film was highly acclaimed, as was his performance. He won several awards for his performance, including the coveted
National Film Award for Best Actor and
Star Screen Award Best Actor.
Devgan saw further success in 1999 when
Sanjay Leela Bhansali cast him opposite
Salman Khan and
Aishwarya Rai for the film
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, which was a critical and commercial success.
[hindi-movie-masala.blogspot.com/2009/08/hum-dil-de-chuke-sanam-drama-about.html] Devgan's performance in the film earned him a nomination for
Best Actor at the
Filmfare.
Devgan went on to be recognised for his association with filmmaker
Ram Gopal Varma, resulting in several successful projects. In 2002, the drama
Company earned him his second
Star Screen Award Best Actor. In the same year, his performance in
Rajkumar Santoshi's
The Legend of Bhagat Singh won him his second
National Film Award for Best Actor.
In 2004, Devgan starred in several critically appreciated films, including
Mani Ratnam's
Yuva and
Rituparno Ghosh's
Raincoat. Neither of these projects did well at the box office.
In 2006, he played the title role in the critically acclaimed adaptation of
Shakespeare's
Othello, titled
Omkara.
In 2007, Devgan starred in
Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, a remake of the classic film
Sholay. The film was a major failure critically as well as commercially.
Devgan's first 2008 release,
Halla Bol, was not a box office success, but Devgan's performance won appreciation from critics. Next came
Sunday, which performed below average at the box office.. Devgan's directorial debut,
U, Me Aur Hum, in which he starred opposite his wife, was released on 11 April 2008. The film received positive reviews and was moderately successful.
Devgan's latest project includes
Golmaal Returns, a sequel to
Golmaal,
All the Best - Fun Begins and
London Dreams.
Awards and nominations
Filmography
Actor
| Year | Film | Role | Other notes
|
| 1991 | Phool Aur Kaante | Ajay | Winner, Filmfare Best Debut Award
|
| 1992 | Jigar | Raj "Raju" Verma |
|
| 1993 | Dil Hai Betaab | Ajay |
|
| Divya Shakti | Prashant Varma |
|
| Platform | Rajoo |
|
| Sangram | Raja S. Singh Kanwar |
|
| Shaktiman | Amar |
|
| Ek Hi Raasta | Karan Singh |
|
| Bedardi | Vijay Saxena |
|
| Dhanwaan | Kashinath |
|
| 1994 | Dilwale | Arun Saxena |
|
| Kanoon | Vishal |
|
| Vijaypath | Karan |
|
| Suhaag | Ajay R. Sharma/Malhotra |
|
| 1995 | Naajayaz | Jay Bakshi | Nominated, Filmfare Best Actor Award
|
| Hulchul | Deva |
|
| Gundaraj | Ajay Chauvan |
|
| Haqeeqat | Shiva/Ajay |
|
| 1996 | Jung | Ajay Bahadur Saxena |
|
| Jaan | Karan |
|
| Diljale | Shyam |
|
| 1997 | Itihaas | Karan |
|
| Ishq | Ajay Rai |
|
| 1998 | Major Saab | Virendra Pratap Singh |
|
| Pyar To Hona Hi Tha | Shekhar |
|
| Sar Utha Ke Jiyo | Special Appearance |
|
| Zakhm | Ajay R. Desai | Nominated, Filmfare Best Actor Award,
Winner, National Film Award for Best Actor
|
| 1999 | Dil Kya Kare | Anand Kishore |
|
| Kachche Dhaage | Aftab |
|
| Hogi Pyaar Ki Jeet | Raju |
|
| Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam | Vanraj | Nominated, Filmfare Best Actor Award
|
| Hindustan Ki Kasam | Ajay/Tauheed |
|
| Gair | Vijay Kumar/Dev |
|
| Thakshak | Ishaan Singh |
|
| 2000 | Deewane | Vishal/Arun |
|
| Raju Chacha | Shekhar/Raju Chacha |
|
| 2001 | Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke | Vicky/Rohit Verma |
|
| Lajja | Bulwa | Nominated, Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award
|
| Tera Mera Saath Rahen | Raj Dixit |
|
| 2002 | Company | Malik | Nominated, Filmfare Best Actor Award
|
| Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin | Raja |
|
| The Legend of Bhagat Singh | Sardar Bhagat Singh | Winner, Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance,
Winner, National Film Award for Best Actor
|
| Deewangee | Tarang Bharadwaj | Winner, Filmfare Best Villain Award
|
| 2003 | Bhoot | Vishal |
|
| Qayamat: City Under Threat | Rachit |
|
| Chori Chori | Ranbir Malhotra |
|
| Gangaajal | S.P. Amit Kumar | Nominated, Filmfare Best Actor Award
|
| Parwana | Parwana |
|
| Zameen | Col. Ranvir Singh Ranawat |
|
| LOC Kargil | Lt. Manoj Kumar Pandey |
|
| 2004 | Khakee | Yashwant Angre | Nominated, Filmfare Best Villain Award
|
| Masti | Inspector Sikander |
|
| Yuva | Michael Mukherjee |
|
| Taarzan: The Wonder Car | Deven Chaudhary |
|
| Raincoat | Manoj |
|
| 2005 | Insan | Ajit Rathod |
|
| Blackmail | Shekhar Mohan |
|
| Zameer | Suraj Chauhan |
|
| Tango Charlie | Havildar Mohammed Ali |
|
| Kaal | Kali Pratap Singh | Nominated, Filmfare Best Villain Award
|
| Main Aisa Hi Hoon | Neel |
|
| Apaharan | Ajay Shastri |
|
| Shikhar | Gaurav Gupta |
|
| 2006 | Golmaal | Gopal |
|
| Omkara | Omkara "Omi" Shukla |
|
| 2007 | Cash | Karan/Doc |
|
| Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag | Hirendra Chavan (Heero) |
|
| 2008
| Halla Bol
| Ashfaq Khan/Sameer Khan
|
|
| Sunday
| ACP Rajveer Randhawa
|
|
| U, Me aur Hum
| Ajay
|
|
| Mehbooba
| Karan
|
|
| Golmaal Returns
| Gopal
|
|
| 2009
| All The Best: Fun Begins | Prem Chopra |
|
| London Dreams
| Arjun
|
|
| Toonpur Ka Superhero
|
|
| 2010
| Teen Patti
|
|
| Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge | Puneet |
|
| Rajneeti | | Releasing on 4 June 2010
|
| Toonpur Ka Superhero | |
|
| Naam | Shekhar | Post-production
|
| Once Upon a Time in Mumbai | Haji Mastan | Pre-production
|
| Golmaal 3 | Gopal | Filming Starting April 2010
|
| Nishaad | | Shooting |
Producer
Director
