Ajay Devgan

Vishal Veeru "Ajay" Devgan (Hindi: विशाल देवगन, born 2 April 1969 in New Delhi, India), is a National Film Award-winning actor who appears in Hindi films. Beginning his career as an action hero in the early 1990s, Devgan has since established himself as one of the actors open to serious roles in Bollywood. In 2008 he ventured into directing as well with U, Me Aur Hum, which saw him starring in the lead role alongside his wife, popular actress Kajol.

Biography
Devgan and his family originate from Punjab. His father, Veeru Devgan, is a stunt choreographer and his mother, Veena Devgan, has produced one film. Anil Devgan, his brother, is a Bollywood film director. He is a graduate of Bappu School in Juhu and Mithibai College. On February 23, 1999, he married actress Kajol and has one daughter. In August 2009, Devgan changed his last name to Devgn on the request of his mother, Veena.[

Career
Ajay Devgan made his film debut with Phool Aur Kaante (1991), in which he played the son of antagonist Amrish Puri. The film was among the highest grossers of the year. His performance won him a Filmfare Best Debut Award. Many of his early movies were of the action genre. In 1992, he starred in Jigar which was also a success at the box office. In 1993, he worked with director Deepak Bahry on the action film Ek Hi Raasta opposite Raveena Tandon, but failed to show his ability.[citation needed]

In 1994, Devgan worked in Harry Baweja's Dilwale, and in Suhaag and Vijaypath. Each of these films were very successful.

In the year 1995, he worked in Mahesh Bhatt's "Naajayaz", for which he was nominated for "filmfare best actor award". In 1996, he continued his success in the form of "Diljale".

Devgan began starring in comedy films, such as Ishq in 1997, in which he starred for the first time alongside Aamir Khan.

In 1998, he had another hit as "Major Saab", in which he was starred first time alongside Amitabh Bachchan. In the same year, Devgan was the leading actor in Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, one of the biggest hits of that year.[citation needed] He next starred in Mahesh Bhatt's Zakhm. The film was highly acclaimed, as was his performance. He won several awards for his performance, including the coveted National Film Award for Best Actor.

Devgan saw further success in 1999 when Sanjay Leela Bhansali cast him opposite Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai for the film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, which was a critical and commercial success.[2] Devgan's performance was also critically acclaimed. The same year, he also starred in two other successful projects, "Hindustan ki kasam" and "Kachche dhage".

Devgan went on to be recognised for his association with filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, resulting in several successful projects. In 2002, the drama Company earned him his second Star Screen Award Best Actor. In the same year, his performance in Rajkumar Santoshi's The Legend of Bhagat Singh won him his second National Film Award for Best Actor.

In 2004, Devgan starred in several critically appreciated films,[citation needed] including Mani Ratnam's Yuva and Rituparno Ghosh's Raincoat. Neither of these projects did well at the box office. In 2006, he played the title role in the critically acclaimed adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello, titled Omkara.

In 2007, Devgan starred in Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, a remake of the classic film Sholay. The film was a major failure critically as well as commercially.

Devgan's first 2008 release, Halla Bol, was not a box office success,[citation needed] but Devgan's performance won appreciation from critics.[citation needed] Next came Sunday, which performed average at the box office. Devgan's directorial debut, U, Me Aur Hum, in which he starred opposite his wife, was released on 11 April 2008. The film received positive reviews and was moderately successful. The same year Devgan's Golmaal Returns was released and was commercially successful.

In 2009 Devgan's All The Best: Fun Begins and was a critical and commercial success, while London Dreams, where he starred alongside Salman Khan was only moderately successful.

In 2010 Devgan's Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge is a critical and commercial success

Devgan's lattest projects includes Parkash Jha's Rajneeti, Priya Darshan's Garam Hawa; Luthria's Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai and Parkash Jha'sAarakshan with Amitabh Bachan & Katrina Kaif in main lead.and his recent film rajneeti was a blockbuster movie in indian cinema

Awards and nominations
Main article: List of Ajay Devgan's awards and nominations

Filmography
Actor
Year Film Role Other notes
1991 Phool Aur Kaante Ajay Winner, Filmfare Best Debut Award
1992 Jigar Raj "Raju" Verma
1993 Dil Hai Betaab Ajay
Divya Shakti Prashant Varma
Platform Rajoo
Sangram Raja S. Singh Kanwar
Shaktiman Amar
Ek Hi Raasta Karan Singh
Bedardi Vijay Saxena
Dhanwaan Kashinath
1994 Dilwale Arun Saxena
Kanoon Vishal
Vijaypath Karan
Suhaag Ajay R. Sharma/Malhotra
1995 Naajayaz Jay Bakshi Nominated, Filmfare Best Actor Award
Hulchul Deva
Gundaraj Ajay Chauvan
Haqeeqat Shiva/Ajay
1996 Jung Ajay Bahadur Saxena
Jaan Karan
Diljale Shyam
1997 Itihaas Karan
Ishq Ajay Rai
1998 Major Saab Virendra Pratap Singh
Pyar To Hona Hi Tha Shekhar
Sar Utha Ke Jiyo Special Appearance
Zakhm Ajay R. Desai Nominated, Filmfare Best Actor Award,
Winner, National Film Award for Best Actor
1999 Dil Kya Kare Anand Kishore
Kachche Dhaage Aftab
Hogi Pyaar Ki Jeet Raju
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam Vanraj Nominated, Filmfare Best Actor Award
Hindustan Ki Kasam Ajay/Tauheed
Gair Vijay Kumar/Dev
Thakshak Ishaan Singh
2000 Deewane Vishal/Arun
Raju Chacha Shekhar/Raju Chacha
2001 Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke Vicky/Rohit Verma
Lajja Bulwa Nominated, Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award
Tera Mera Saath Rahen Raj Dixit
2002 Company Malik Nominated, Filmfare Best Actor Award
Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin Raja
The Legend of Bhagat Singh Sardar Bhagat Singh Winner, Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance,
Winner, National Film Award for Best Actor
Deewangee Tarang Bharadwaj Winner, Filmfare Best Villain Award
2003 Bhoot Vishal
Qayamat: City Under Threat Rachit
Chori Chori Ranbir Malhotra
Gangaajal S.P. Amit Kumar Nominated, Filmfare Best Actor Award
Parwana Parwana
Zameen Col. Ranveer Ranawat
LOC Kargil Capt. Manoj Pandey
2004 Khakee Yashwant Angre Nominated, Filmfare Best Villain Award
Masti Inspector Sikander
Yuva Michael Mukherjee
Taarzan: The Wonder Car Deven Chaudhary
Raincoat Manoj
2005 Insan Ajit Rathod
Blackmail Shekhar Mohan
Zameer Suraj Chauhan
Tango Charlie Havildar Mohammed Ali
Kaal Kali Pratap Singh Nominated, Filmfare Best Villain Award
Main Aisa Hi Hoon Neel
Apaharan Ajay Shastri
Shikhar Gaurav Gupta
2006 Golmaal Gopal
Omkara Omkara "Omi" Shukla
2007 Cash Karan/Doc
Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag Hirendra Chavan (Heero)
2008 Halla Bol Ashfaq Khan/Sameer Khan
Sunday ACP Rajveer Randhawa
U, Me aur Hum Ajay
Mehbooba Karan
Golmaal Returns Gopal
2009 All The Best: Fun Begins Prem Chopra
London Dreams Arjun
Toonpur Ka Superhero
2010
Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge Puneet
Rajneeti Released on 4 June 2010
Toonpur Ka Superhero
Naam Shekhar Post-production
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai Sultan Releasing on 30 July, 2010
Golmaal 3 Gopal Releasing on 5 November 2010
Aakrosh Releasing on 10 September, 2010[3]

Producer
Year Film Other notes
2000 Raju Chacha
2006 The Awakening Documentary short
2008 U, Me aur Hum
2009 All The Best: Fun Begins

Director
Year Film Other notes
2008 U, Me aur Hum