Ajay Devgan, we are sure, would like to put the year 2007 behind him. His performances lacked luster and his choice of films (Cash, RGV Ki Aag) absolutely inexplicable!
So far, Devgan’s fortunes haven’t changed this year. Both Sunday and Halla Bol have tanked at the box office, the latter despite being an out and right Devgan film.
It has been some time since we saw a memorable performance from Devgan. Either an intense performance like the one in Company (2002), Gangaajal (2003) or Omkara (2006), or a restrained romantic performance like the one in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) or Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998).
We are sure Devgan is hoping his luck will change with the release of U Me Aur Hum on April 11. He not only plays lead with his wife Kajol in the film but also makes his official debut as a director.
The film is an unconventional love story, but then you wouldn’t expect something conventional from Devgan!
Instead of starting with a courtship and ending with a marriage, the film spans 25 years of the couple’s relationship, straddling courtship, marriage and the long journey that follows.
If you go to the site for U Me Aur Hum it is immediately evident that Devgan is making the film straight from his heart. Indeed, it made us wonder if the film is his tribute to his beautiful and charming wife.
Musical score for the film, which was extensively shot on a cruise liner, has been composed by Vishal Bhardwaj, a friend of Devgan.
Bhardwaj has also sung the title track for the film.
“When I sang the track to Ajay, he had tears rolling down his cheeks. I didn’t know this spontaneously emotional side of Ajay. It’s never happened before that someone has started crying after listening to the song. It’s a compliment to me,” Bhardwaj told Mid Day.
If Ajay’s emotional investment in the film is not evident from his tears take a look at Devgan’s blog. He posted the synopsis of the film in the forums there in December and invited his fans to tell him what they think of it!
So will a passionately told love story translate into good box office returns?
Ajay and Kajol together command a huge fan base. That and some aggressive promotion will make it easy for the film to recover its cost. But it could do a lot more.
However, despite his past success with them, we do not believe romantic roles are Devgan’s forte. But then sticking to his forte is also not his forte!
