Here’s wishing the superstar-filmmaker great times ahead as he enters his landmark year in life and the movies. Meena Iyer offers a glimpse of the man behind the actor
Are there just 50 things that After Hrs can tell you about Ajay Devgn on his 50th birthday or are there many? Of course, there is a lot more. However, keeping in mind the fact that this Bollywood superstar-filmmaker is a truly private individual, we choose to just enlist a few aspects of his life and time in cinema. We begin with...
His go-to person in every situation in life
(With mother Veena Devgn)
His mother, Veena, who he fondly calls ‘Maa’. Ajay aka Raju doesn’t take any major decision in life without consulting her. An astute person, she’s the backbone of the Devgan family. Besides Ajay, Kajol, his kids — Nysa and Yug — and the entire khandaan depends completely on the matriarch for her advice and blessings.
He admires his father
(With father Veeru Devgn )
Few words are exchanged between father Veeru Devgan and him. But the actor-filmmaker adores his dad. He looks up to him for strength and the way he carries himself. His father, who is one of India’s most-respected action directors, is Ajay’s ‘most-admired-man’.
His soulmate: Kajol
(With wife Kajol)
After 20 years of marriage, they are in perfect tandem with each other. Like he himself recently admitted, “Now, we understand each other’s silence.’’
His cannot-do-without- ever people
(With daughter Nysa )
His first-born Nysa is his absolute weakness. He sulks big time if he cannot speak to her at least a few times a day. Whether he is FaceTiming her or speaking to her through messages, this is the most communicative he can get.
He aspires to be his son’s role model and ‘buddy’
(With son Yug )
His son, Yug, is also an equally-big weakness as Nysa. The little one is just nine now and the actor wants to enjoy every small and big moment with him. Ajay celebrates every achievement of his in school, patiently answers all his questions, keeps up with him in the gym, loves horsing around the house with ‘Yugi’ and he likes nothing better than babysitting him when Kajol is working.
He loves travelling with his family
Nothing gives him greater joy than travelling with his family; that includes his parents, his two sisters, their husbands and kids and, of course, his wife and children. All vacations include a 25-member team, going together (business or first class) and booking an island if that is possible. If a destination doesn’t provide an island, he ensures he has an entire floor at least for his family.
He is deeply religious
He is an ardent Shiva devotee. He has also professed his love for his favourite lord by getting a tattoo on his chest.
He has been faithful to...
He has been wearing the same cologne, Polo Green For Men by Ralph Lauren, for the last three decades. In fact, one can sense Ajay’s presence in the room just by catching his signature scent.
(...with Kajol, Nysa and Yug)
He detests
The smell of onions and food on his fingertips. Though Ajay is a fantastic cook and can whip up both Indian and continental dishes (depending on what his family asks for), he hates the smell of onions. If anyone is eating raw onions at the table when he is seated, he will surely pull a face!
He gets most frustrated
If he has missed even a single gym or exercise session, Ajay is irritable.
He likes unwinding with
Mafia, mystery and action shows on his iPad. He must see at least a couple of episodes of his favourite show every night before he actually turns in.
His wardrobe has
The most expensive clothes (though he is so casual about the way he dresses). He does invest in expensive brands, but he is often seeing repeating his outfits because he is restless when it comes to choosing what to wear each morning. In fact, the joke is that his valet and chauffeur often end up wearing ‘very expensive’ stuff because the bottom piles are constantly donated.
He loves mean machines
He prefers SUVs. His collection includes the latest Audi and Mercedes. He previously ran with a Maserati Quattroporte. His next car — it’s a beast, right? Well, that’s a secret.
He would rather
Have two pegs of his favourite Noble Russian Vodka Beluga (Gold Line), every evening seated in his own home than step out.
He suffers from FOGO
Recently, he confessed on Karan Johar’s Koffee with Karan that he suffers from Fear of Going Out (FOGO). Often, he gets ready, yup, fully ready, with shoes on, too, and then changes his mind about going to a party. He is not anti-social, he is plain shy. However, if you drop by to meet him at his home, he is the most-amazing and attentive host.
He will not suffer fools
A man of few words, he hates inane conversation. He would rather sit with the person in silence.
His staff members adore him because
Most of his staff members — valet, make-up artiste, hairdresser, gym-trainer, chauffeur, office and domestic help — have been with him for over 25-odd years. He is generous to a fault. He has made sure each of them has medical insurance and he also takes care of their kids’ education. He believes in the adage — health is wealth.
He’s a medicine man
For friends, he is ‘Dr Devgn’. He makes it a point to educate himself about common ailments like cold to the most complicated of diseases and reads up a lot on health and medicine. He also carries along a big medicine kit and all unit hands reach out to him for small health snags.
He is a complete health freak
For someone who smokes (now drastically less), Ajay is a complete health freak. His eating habits include boiled, low carbohydrate-stuff, completely gluten-free foods. He loves non-vegetarian food most that is made in his own kitchen. He also loves the dal chawal from his home and usually carries enough food to feed at least half a dozen (if not an army).
His favourite number these days is 7
Most of his cars have the number plate whose digits add up to seven.
He is casually ‘well-informed’
Unlike his wife, Kajol, who is a voracious reader, Ajay is a lateral one. Yet, he knows every important development in global politics, desi politics, science, environmental and issues concerning children. He is also a tech freak and must order himself the latest gadgets. At any given point, only news channels are on in his vanity van.
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 "Ajay Devgn")
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