Ready for action

Indian actor Ajay Devgan looks forward to 2008 after a year marked by flops.

There's no questioning the talent of Ajay Devgan. It is his laid-back attitude that probably leaves him out of the league of the Khans, Kumars and Roshans.

In fact, he is one of Bollywood's rare leading actors who have won two National Awards — in Zakhm and The Legend of Bhagat Singh.

Of late he hasn't had a good run at the box office. Last year he starred in two big-budget flops, Cash and RGV Ki Aag, and received a lot of flak for his roles. But Devgan is optimistic about 2008 as for starters he had Halla Bol that opened to rave reviews, though the box office results leave much to be desired.

Now he stars in Sunday, a comic-thriller. His directorial debut U, Me Aur Hum, co-starring his wife Kajol, is expected to hit the screens soon, followed by the highly anticipated sequel to Golmaal. That should make Devgan one of the most of happening actors in 2008.

What do you think went wrong with Cash and RGV Ki Aag last year?

Well when we start a project, we have the honest intentions of making a good film and sometimes things don't work. This is what happened with Aag and no single person can take the entire blame for the film's failure. Meanwhile, Cash had lot of issues with regard to filmmakers and problems with the producers. It is one experience I would like to forget.

Moving on to the brighter side, Halla Bol won you rave reviews, but do you believe such social-based subjects work at the box office?

I choose to do a project based purely on the subject and the merit of its content. Halla Bol is a fantastic film made by Rajkumar Santoshi and he is someone I really respect as his films usually tackles burning issues in society sincerely, yet at the same time they are entertaining. I have done issue-based films such as Gangajal and Apaharan that have worked at the box office. So there is no guarantee that such films will work 100 per cent at the box office as you make an honest film and hope for the best.

So what's you new film, Sunday, all about?

Sunday is an out and out commercial film that has a comic element with a good dose of action. I play a cop whose girlfriend has forgotten about a day in her life that leads her to be a prime suspect in a murder case. The thriller angle is not taken too seriously as primarily it is a fun film.It has some well-written sequences involving me, Ayesha Takia, Arshad Warsi and Irrfan Khan that should entertain the audience.

Sunday is your first film with Ayesha Takia. How do you find her as actress and co-star?

I think she is one of the young talented actresses we have in the industry. She plays a dubbing artiste for cartoon films and has done her role very well in the film. She is a very easy-going girl and it is a very relaxed atmosphere acting along with her.

What made you opt for a love story as your directorial debut against an action film as you have an image as action hero?

I have always wanted to direct a film and it didn't matter which genre it belonged to. With U, Me Aur Hum I came up with the idea of the subject and I was convinced that this would be an ideal film to mark my directorial debut. As far as I am concerned I am happy with the way the film has shaped up and now I leave it to the audience to pass judgment and I hope they are entertained.

How was the experience in directing your wife Kajol in U, Me Aur Hum?

Well it was a smooth experience directing Kajol as she is a fine actress and clearly understands her role very well. Our relationship was very much normal on the sets.