The Bollywood actor has an impressive body of work. Harshada Rege gives a lowdown of his varied filmography
Ajay Devgn is a man of few words. He lets his work do the talking for him. The Bollywood superstar stepped on the film screen balancing on two bikes in Phool Aur Kaante (1991) and had the audience’s attention immediately. While his journey began as an action star, the actor-filmmaker proved that he had the acting prowess to match the punches he pulled on screen. From actioners to comedies, and horror movies to films for kids, he has dabbled in various genres. He was also first among his contemporaries to turn producer and eventually a director. Though he dons many hats today, it’s the rawness and honesty in his performances that have seen him play a long and successful inning in the industry. While his filmography is massive, here are 13 roles that the actor was at his best and are a must-watch for every die-hard Ajay fan.
1. Dilwale, 1994
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Ajay had already established himself as a reliable action star when Dilwale released. However, this film brought to fore an intense side to his personality. The romantic drama’s soundtrack was replete with chartbusters and each song was preceded by a passionate dialogue by the star. Every young guy fancied himself to be as deep as the character the Raid actor portrayed, while women hoped their man too would love them with equal fervour.
2. Zakhm, 1998
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A performance that won Ajay his first National Award, Zakhm proved to be a landmark film in the actor’s career. Set against the backdrop of the riots in Mumbai in 1992-1993, the film saw Ajay playing the son of a Muslim woman, who is married to a Hindu man. He proved to his critics that he could be as much at ease in content-based movies as he was in masala entertainers.
3. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, 1999
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It’s often the hero who doesn’t get the girl in a love triangle that gets the audience’s sympathy. But the tables turned with this Sanjay Leela Bhansali directorial. Here, Ajay played an understanding husband who is willing to go the extra mile to help his wife get back with her former lover. In the end, he walked away with the girl and the audience and critics’ appreciation, too.
4. Company, 2002
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Ajay, who played an honest cop in the Singham franchise, did an equally effective job as a man on the wrong side of the law in this Ram Gopal Varma film. Playing Malik, the Godfather equivalent, Ajay with his brooding eyes conveyed what words couldn’t.
5. The Legend of Bhagat Singh, 2002
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It sure was an irony of sorts, that the actor who played a dreaded mafia boss, also essayed the role of one of the most revered freedom fighters the same year. While three movies on the life of Bhagat Singh were in the making, this was the only one that mattered. It also won Ajay his second National Award.
6. Gangaajal, 2003
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While films based in the heartland of the country are a rage at the moment, it was this Prakash Jha and Ajay film that was among the first to give a glimpse of the problems there. It also proved that it wasn’t just massy entertainers that could pull in the crowds at the theatres.
7. Raincoat, 2004
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This tale of heartbreak and unrequited love was almost poetic in nature. Ajay and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan came together after Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam to play former lovers, who come across each other on a rainy day. The actor depicted the hesitation, desperation and humiliation that his character faced in an eloquent manner. The film had limited footfall, but won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.
8. Khakee, 2004
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Ajay went bad and how! The actor played a former cop gone rogue in this drama that saw him sharing screen space with Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar. His swag as the mean guy was unmatchable and had the audience applauding him even when he outwitted the good guys.
9. Golmaal, 2006
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Just when the industry had put Ajay in the intense-actor category, he broke the mould with this laugh riot. This was the beginning of the immensely successful Golmaal franchise and also a landmark movie in the long association between the actor and filmmaker Rohit Shetty.
10. Omkara, 2008
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Ajay played the titular role. The film was based on William Shakespeare’s Othello. Ajay was the quiet but intense bahubali (a political reinforcer of sorts) who is much in love with his wife Dolly (Kareena Kapoor Khan). The film did well at the box office and went on to bag many awards that year.
11. Raajneeti, 2010
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In the modern-day retelling of Mahabharata, Ajay took on the challenge of playing a character inspired by Karna. Though the actor’s role was short, it’s impactful.
12. Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai, 2010
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The film was loosely based on the lives of Mumbai underworld gangsters Haji Mastan and Dawood Ibrahim. While Ajay played the former, Emraan Hashmi essayed the latter. From a cunning mafia lord to a man mesmerised by a Bollywood star, the actor brought out the layers of his character effectively.
13. Singham, 2011
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Though Ajay had played a cop many times before, his turn as Bajirao Singham was just what was needed to create box-office magic. The visual of the actor emerging out of the water as religious chants played in the background had the frontbenchers cheering and whistling. Then there was the roar of a tiger that echoed in the background when the honest cop went about punishing the bad guys. The film’s brilliant action had Ajay’s diehard fans thronging to the theatres. The sequel proved to be as effective and marked the beginning of Rohit Shetty’s cop universe dream, which will see Singham unite with Simmba (Ranveer Singh) and Sooryavanshi (Akshay Kumar).
