‘YOU NEED A GOOD RAPPORT WITH CO-STARS’
Ajay Devgn says that actors are always “helping each other” on the sets of a multi-starrer movie
Since 1991, when he made his big Bollywood debut with Phool Aur Kaante, Ajay Devgn has been a part of several hits including a number of multi-starrers. That list includes films such as Dilwale (1994), Mohra (1994), Ishq (1997), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Company (2002), the Golmaal series and even his last release, Baadshaho.
Interestingly, Ajay feels that even in films where he wasn’t the solo lead, everyone’s work — his as well as his co-stars’ — got appreciated. Baadshaho also saw Ajay team up with other actors such as Emraan Hashmi, Esha Gupta, Ileana D’Cruz and Vidyut Jammwal, among others.
Does it help to have other talented actors in the same frame? “Of course it does, and you need such people [to be working with you]. You aren’t alone in a film, so you need to develop the perfect timing and a good rapport [with other actors in the film], besides the fact that you need to like your co-actors (smiles). If you have to portray a nice equation with them on screen, then all of these factors are very important.” says the Singham (2011) actor.
According to Ajay, in order to achieve that “seamless” equation, the actor “who is cast opposite you also needs to be good because you require an appropriate response from your co-star, and a perfect timing [in terms of delivering a scene]. “Agar main kuch bolunga and aap sahi response nahi denge toh mere baat ka wazan hi nahi rahega (if I say something but don’t get the right response then my words won’t carry any weight),” says the actor.
Adding that in every scene, an action comes with a reaction and vice versa, Ajay says if one’s co-actor doesn’t respond well, “no one will understand” [what’s happening in a scene]. “And remember, in totality, it’s the complete film that does well. Main akela kya karunga (what will I do alone). In essence, if the rest of the cast doesn’t perform [equally well] then the movie will not work. And I am sure that when any actor acts in a film, his or her ultimate aim is that the film should work,” he says.
At a time when talks are rife that today’s leading actors don’t want to share screen-space, Ajay refuses to believe that theory. “I know people say that when you are working on a film with other actors, there’s a sense of competition, but that’s not true. There is never a competition, and I believe that you are always helping each other. So, the idea is ki aapka bhi kaam accha ho, film bhi acchi bane aur unka bhi kaam accha ho (you should do a good job, a film should turn out well and your co-stars’ work should also be good). That’s how we make films. There has never been any competition; and there should not be,” he says.
I know people say that when you are working on a film with other actors, there’s a sense of competition, but that’s not true. AJAY DEVGN, ACTOR