'U Me aur Hum' -- straight from Ajay's heart

MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Ajay Devgan making his directorial debut with 'U Me aur Hum,' scheduled to release later this month, says his maiden project brings out the positivity of relationship between a husband and wife.
    
Ajay who is paired opposite his actress wife of nine years Kajol in the film said it was a simple love story about a man who marries a girl he loves and overcomes all hurdles to maintain the relationship.
    
"The film doesn't give a sermon on relationships. The audiences will identify with the scharacters. What is different in the subject is that the film looks at the institution of marriage in a positive way," the actor said.
    
"A lot of people question the institution of marriage, or blame it when problems arise. I feel that in a marriage, or any relationship for that matter, problems are inevitable.
    
'Giving up' should be our last option. However, an increasing number of people just prefer to give up at the first sign of trouble, Devgan said.
    
The actor who began his career with action packed roles, said he felt that relationships, especially marriages need to be nurtured with love, sensitivity and understanding.
    
"People keep asking me what inspired me to chose this subject and direct a film. To be honest, this is a story straight from my heart. A story which I strongly believed in," he told reporters here last night.
    
Ajay also affirms to the concepts like love at first sight, happy marriages and soulmates.
    
"I know that they exist and hence they are important elements of my film," the actor added.
     
The actor said he was aware that he cannot change the way people think or live their lives through his film.
    
"A film is meant to entertain you and give your money's worth. Besides entertaining the audience, if the film makes them introspect on the state of their relationships or encourages them to improve it, my success will be much greater," he said.
    
When asked about his experiences off-screen, Ajay said he was well versed with the nuances of filmmaking as he had assisted Shekhar Kapur before joining films and even helped father Veeru Devgan, veteran action director in editing.
    
"I believe that if your vision as a director is clear and are backed by an efficient crew, there will be no hurdles," he said.
    
Speaking about his wife, Ajay said he was fortunate enough to direct a film with a powerful and efficient actress like Kajol.
    
"She is always thorough with the nitty-gritties of her character before she begins shooting. In this film, she is not only the lead actress but also the producer. Since the screenplay work happened at home, Kajol was present for all the sittings and even gave her inputs. She made my work as a directon much easier," Ajay said proudly.
    
He said major portion of the film has been shot on a cruise while the remaining at Filmistan studio in Mumbai.