Ajay Devgn says that celebrations are being held for flop films too now
For your latest, Bol Bachchan, how did Ajay Devgn, the actor-producer of the film, agree to the title which is so quintessentially about another person? No insecurities here?
None at all; once you see the film you'll understand what I mean. The characters are very well defined and everyone has their place. Bol Bachchan is apt since it is about this one guy who is trying to con everyone and he keeps giving these bol bachchans. That's where it comes from. As part of the movie's team, when we were discussing the name, I agreed that it was perfect.
What kind of movies do you believe in producing?
I feel instinctively about the films I should produce, like Son of Sardar. The film has to be commercial and when I say commercial, I just don't mean masala. Even parallel cinema can be commercial. The point is to make the film run in theatres. We are not in the business of teaching art to the world. We have to entertain the audience.
Last year you'd said in an interview that you want to be a commercial hero. Since the first Golmaal (and all its sequels) Singham and now BB, Rohit Shetty and you seem to have hit upon some kind of winning formula. What is making you two click at the box office?
It's repetitive, but it's the understanding that we should make entertaining, commercial films. Both Rohit and I believe in commercial cinema. He just wants to entertain his audience and right now I am also in that mode. I'd rather do films that I don't have to worry about. I have done films like Zakhm which have won National Awards, but nobody comes with a script that great anymore.
Even an acclaimed actor like you worries about the box office success of a film?
Of course, you have to worry about the box office numbers. Otherwise, people are ready to run you down at the slightest chance. When you experiment with roles or genre; you have also to worry about its box office fate.
But doesn't your place in the top six actors of the country justify your choices (of roles) lately?
What you are calling success and wise choices comes with experience. I keep telling some of the younger kids, I wouldn't name them, that they should also attempt the kind of cinema we're doing. This cinema, which comprises out-and-out entertainers, has mostly got 1 or 1.5 stars from critics. But, it's the audience that likes these movies. You have to show your art and talent to them.
As a producer, do you feel jittery when your movies are about to release, even if they are "out-and-out" entertainers? How do you react to box office reactions?
Right now I am very happy with Bol Bachchan's hype and also with the response the poster of Son of Sardar has generated. Both films have shaped out well and I hope both are commercial successes. But, I am not hyper about the release. Someone asked Abhishek something similar recently, and he said that on Friday, when the movie releases, you wait for the opening collection, then you wait for the weekend collection, then the first week, the second week, etc, and by that time, you've lost all enthusiasm about it. I just move on after my film releases.
You don't believe in celebrating your movie's success?
I've never done that. Those bashes are more for other people. A lot of bashes are held even when a film has flopped. These are just for effect. I've heard people stand in these parties with a drink in their hand and say, 'Yaar mera toh paisa toota hai' , and yet they are celebrating.
You've had quite a busy time lately. How do you avoid getting disconnected from your friends and family?
It's most important for me to spend time with family. I've been tied up a bit these past couple of months. I don't shoot on Sundays, for instance. But when you shoot movies back-to-back, you do get disconnected from the outside world. When you go home you're preoccupied. And it's not a great thing. You have to reconnect with some people. My friends understand that. So does my family.
Presented by Fox Star Studios, Ajay Devgn Ffilms and Shree Aashtavinayak cinevision Ltd Bol Bachchan releases on July 6.
