An Exclusive Interview With Ajay Devgan

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  How has "GangaaJal" become such a success in spite of being a dark, macho film?
I believe women audiences too have started going for it. I think "GangaaJal" worked because of the theme and treatment. I don't think my presence would've mattered if people didn't like the film.
I think audiences have liked Prakash Jha's approach to the theme. But such serious films usually go unnoticed unless they've a star presence. I guess I was able to bring a certain kind of audience into the theatres.

Your visit to Ajmer with your wife Kajol caused quite a lot of media speculation.
What rubbish they wrote! How can people read my mind? How can they make presumptions about why we went to Ajmer? I've been to Ajmer earlier. Why didn't it make news then? We went there because it was a mannat (wish) for the last two years. I had vowed to go there with my family. That's why we went.

  It was said you went to pray for a son?
This has got to be a joke. I'm very happy to have a daughter. Before her birth I just wanted a healthy child, whether girl or boy. And I consider myself very lucky.

  You have everything, from a happy family to a healthy career.
Yes, sometimes things just work out in life. I believe if you don't wrong anyone in life and just do your work well, then you're bound to get to where you want in life. Just believe in yourself.

  With success have you become more cautious about the films that you accept?
I can't afford to sign everything that comes my way. But then there're some films that I signed four to five years ago. They're coming out now. And I can't disown them. I can't complain about films that I've signed in the last two years.
At the moment I'm not signing anything. The audiences' tastes are changing. I want to wait for a while because I don't know how they'll react to the films I'm doing right now.
Two years ago I had anticipated that songs may not always have a place in my sensibilities as an actor. "Bhoot" and "GangaaJal" have proved me right. But right now I'm not very sure about my next line of action. So I'm taking it easy. At the moment I'm practically booked until the end of next year.

  Your new release "Parwana" is a four-year-old commitment. Are you embarrassed by it?
I don't know.... Work is work. It was an old commitment and people can see that. I don't think it can affect my career in any way. Ramu (Ram Gopal Varma) SMS-ed me the other day saying, "If Parwana works it isn't you, it's your luck that's working!" There's nothing to be embarrassed about.

  Your next release "Zameen" is again an action film.
My recent film "Qayamat" did have its share of clichés and box-office compromises. But "Zameen" moves on a single track. It just so happened that all the action films are coming together. But I'm doing a lot of other kinds of films too, like I've just signed Rituparno Ghosh's first Hindi film with Kareena Kapoor that will be shot at one go in November. I'm very excited about it. Even Aparna Sen's script for "Gulel" is excellent. Then there's a comedy with Indra Kumar. It's about an extra-marital itch. It was earlier entitled "Khujli". Now they've named it "Masti".

  So another National Award for you next year?
It isn't that easy. But I'd love to get another one.