Who is Ajay Devgn when cameras are switched off? A witty and intelligent man who enjoys his meticulous pranks as much as his work

Filmmaker Sajid Khan, who has been Ajay’s college friend and the director of Ajay’s 2013 film, Himmatwala, which has completed 10 years since its release. Sajid, when asked if Ajay ever had a chip on his shoulder for being the son of an established action director and then becoming a superstar himself, says, “Ajay doesn’t have any airs. He was a star even before he entered films. We were in college together, and he was the rich one and he was the the star, the greatest — late Viru Devgan’s son, but he still never that the air. Obviously he had the money and we didn’t have any money so we were all in his group and he would get rides and free restaurants and free cigarettes.”

Sajid remembers Ajay as the boy who could only think about films, even as a teenager. “We were in college together. We first met when we were 17-18. He was always down to earth. There was only one thing he always wanted to do — films, films and films — and nothing else. He never had any other thought, it was about writing films, directing films. I think acting was not even on his mind but when he became a hero, we were not very surprised as we knew what he could do and what he could present to the audience and he hit it out with his first film.”

Sajid remembers Ajay as this “softy” who is very witty and intelligent. He says, “Its been 32 years to be precise. I haven’t met him for almost a year now, but when the next time we meet, which could be anytime, it would be like we met one hour ago. He is very down to earth and a soft at heart. He is an extremely intelligent, soft spoken guy and he is incredibly witty. This is the one side of his that not many people know about. Some of his one-liners are very sharp, it is like jo kam baat kare, uski baaton mein dam hota hai (The one who speaks less makes impact). He is very witty and well read and he hasn’t changed.”

Sajid only has fond memories with Ajay, but he remembers this one prank Ajay pulled off on him, on the sets of Himmatwala Sajid reveals, “When we were making Himmatwala it was actually like a camp out with friends working together after so many years. I remember one consistent thing about Himmatwala that we were laughing all the time. I always knew that he was a prankster, but I did not know that he would pull off the scariest prank on me. I basically have a fear of sleeping in any room with all lights off. When I am outdoors, I share my room with maybe a co-writer or a male AD. Ajay told me that Ramoji Film Studio is one of the most haunted places and I was very scared. (At the hotel) I had a room which had a bedroom and a hall and we all used to sit in that hall and watch TV and then I would go in the room and sleep. What I didn’t know was that he made one of the assistants go inside the room and put a walkie-talkie. At night they would whisper ‘saaaaajid….sajiiiiiid…’ Then they put gravy on their hand and then put that haath ka nishaan in the bathroom mirrors. Belive me, at 3 in the morning, I was like what the hell!”

“Then on the third day Paresh (Rawal) and Tamannah (Bhatia) saw that I had not slept well at all and told him that ‘might as well just tell him’. When he told me, I ran behind him and he ran so fast (laughs). People play pranks for a few hours, he plays for days, he plays his pranks very systematically and he takes his pranks very seriously. He is very meticulous and tells people what they are supposed to do to make sure that prank goes as planned.”

While Sajid has known Ajay for years, actor-writer Aamil Keeyan Khan has a different kind of journey with him. From co-writing Devgn-starrer Drishyam 2 to working closely with him in his directorial Runway 34 and Bholaa. Khan told indianexpress.com that he first met Ajay Devgn during the narration of Runway 34. Calling him one of the ‘coolest people’ you can collaborate with, he shared that the star is quite different from what people assume him to be.

“I was a little nervous because I had grown up watching him in films like Omkara and Company and had a very serious image in mind. He is a master when it comes to reading people and situations and so he broke the ice instantly. He is extremely approachable and easy to talk to. What I’ve found out over time is that this quiet, brooding on screen persona couldn’t be further from the truth as in real life. He has an extremely witty and mischievous sense of humor. He’s always carrying a bag full of ideas and sarcasm with him. He inspires me to think big, aim for the moon and never settle for less.”

Given he has closely followed Devgn as an actor and director, we asked him to break down his personality in both the roles. Calling it the “curious case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, Aamil said that both are very different personas. “When he’s just acting, he’s a lot more relaxed and chill. When he’s directing, there are a lot many more tabs open in the browser of his mind,” he shared.

The writer added that Ajay Devgn is an extremely intelligent man and it’s only when one sits with him and observes him that they will realise the vastness of this thought process. Recalling an incident from the sets of Drishyam 2, Aamil said how Ajay would be discussing Bholaa with him one moment and as he was called to give a shot, he’d transform into Vijay Salgaonkar. After a compelling performance, he would once again come back and discuss shots with him. “Like in those 5-10 minutes, a part of mind was working as a director, while he was giving the shot as an actor. That’s how fast he thinks.”

Calling Ajay Devgn a ‘hardcore workaholic’, Aamil further shared how thanks to the star’s decades of experience as an actor, “He has a very nuanced understanding of human emotions and characters”. On a final note, we asked Aamil Keeyan Khan to share three things about Ajay Devgn that we don’t know. “I’ll tell you one of his secrets – the man is secretly Benjamin Button and doesn’t age. That’s why it’s impossible to match his energy on set,” he signed off with a laugh.