A superstar in the making
By Asha Singh

THE man who came riding on two motorcycles in a 1991, action film called Phool Aur Kaante has turned into a sentimental softe, following the release of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, a mushy potboiler that has set audiences across India weeping for him.

Marriage seems to have made the differene. But as Ajay Devgan says, shaking his head in disbelief. "It isn’t me. It is the character I play in the film, though I guess there is a lot of me in it. It is what the director (Sanjay Leela Bhansali) had conceived."

Arguably, Ajay has come a long way from breaking bones of bad guys to breaking hearts of his fans. As an intense lover in the Cupid caper, he has outdone all other romantic heroes of his time, including Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Shahrukh Khan.

Moreover, his box-office standing has gone up manifold. "Only two actors, Ajay Devgan and Govinda are hot in the cinema circle," observes Taran Adarsh, the publisher of a film trade journal "Their films command a good price from distributors and exhibittors."

Ajay is doubtless elated by his increasing box-office clout. "When I started work, people said that I was only good in action films. Now I am acceptable in whatever roles I do. The confidence I have in myself has worked."

Says Mahesh Bhatt, who had cast Ajay opposite Naseeruddin Shah in Najayaz "No other Hindi actor brings that shadow of sadness the way Ajay does to his roles. Loss is an integral part of life and he emanates that without an element of self-pity."

Bhansali agress: "The best thing about Ajay is the pair of extremely expressive eyes which project pain, pathos and grief. He is the closest thing Hindi cinema has seen since the 80’s version of Amitabh Bachchan’s angry young man persona".

Stars to reckon with

Since every Hindi film released so far this year has failed to click the question being asked in whether there is any star the box-office can bank upon. Not one among the present lot can command the clout say, Amitabh Bachchan or Rajesh Khanna could in their days.

The closest however, anybody could get is Aamir Khan. With Sarfarosh, the stamp of quality has come to stay with him. But for the first time in his career, the actor faces the threat of overexposure with two new starrers scheduled for release soon: Mela and Earth, coming close on the heels of the recently released Mann.

The other celebrated Khan, Shahrukh has not had a release so far this year. The trade buzz about Badshah, due to hit the screen in October, is that it could repeat the success of last year’s Dil Se and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Till then, his fans are keeping their fingers crossed.

To Shahrukh’s credit is that his directors, producers and co-stars love him for what he is, even though audiences have criticised him for being repetitive in his actions. Moreover, just when they were tired of his negative roles, he surprised them with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.

The third hero in the reckoning is the quiet, reticent Ajay Devgan. After Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam every financer is prepared to bet on him. And those who have seen the rushes of Hindustan Ki Kasam are saying that it has the potential of another Sholay.

The fourth and one with charm, vigour and dynamism is Salman Khan. He has shone in film after film, but his best is yet to come, as they say. And that could well be with his home production, Hello Brother or Sooraj Barjatya’s Hum Hain Saath Saath

But the safest bet is Govinda, the ultimate entertainer. A long-term player, he commands a loyal following, thanks to his crazy capers in David Dhawan’s comedies. But his own complaint is that his versatility remains untapped. Hum Tumpe Marte Hain could make up for this too. — MF