The film, which was saw loads of criticism coming its way, especially by those who haven’t even seen the film (as was the case with ‘Ram Gopal Verma Ki Aag‘ which was incidentally a remake again), didn’t really find support coming from any section of media. Moreover with audience not warming up to the film either, the word of mouth turned out to be even more killing. The film in fact suffered in a major way at the multiplexes where it just couldn’t hold on at all. In fact the film has single screen audience to thank for throwing more than just decent collections at least which kept the weekdays afloat, albeit on the lower side.

Ajay Devgan And Tamannaah in Himmatwala Movie Poster

For Sajid Khan, the film would still collect better numbers than his debut feature film Heyy Babyy which brought in over 50 crores. However, all associated with the film would agree that Himmatwala was expected to not just double that total but go way beyond the 100 crore mark.

The Himmatwala chapter would close faster than expected. While Ajay Devgn now moves on to Satyagraha, Sajid Khan too is gearing up for his next film with Saif Ali Khan and Riteish Deshmukh which goes on floors this Summer. As for Tamannaah, she has her next flick, an Akshay Kumar starrer, to look forward to.

Joginder Tuteja tweets @tutejajoginder

Ajay Devgn

He might have debuted with a considerably less anticipated debut vehicle but he has always made his presence felt in the industry and how. Capturing the coveted Black Lady for his Debut film with immense sincerity, Ajay Devgn became one of the most sought after Superstars of Tomorrow way back in the early 1990s. From Phool Aur Kaante to Himmatwala, this superstar has carved a different biography of his, one that spans for over two decades.

Ajay Devgn, the amiable tinsel ville actor has always been famous for his searing intensity and the magnified strength that he delivers through his effective performances. But of late, Ajay the superstar has taken a lead over Ajay, the actor where performance driven roles are not his choices anymore! With the industry going gaga about the newly invented 100 crore club, Ajay Devgn has been no different. Opting for desi-rustic masala entertainers, low on content and high on superficial and unbelievable spoofs, every actor is aiming for the Rajinikanth way to super shot fame.

While Salman is busy giving one blockbuster after the other in his own inimitable manner and is being hailed as the Tiger of the Bollywood Box Office arena, Ajay, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan have also leaped out to the same genre to prove their mass appeal. While none of them could really bank upon their starry appeal to cross the benchmarks set by Salman’s films, Ajay and Akshay have failed to maintain a continuity of hits and super hits in their kitty. While a irritable Joker broke Akshay’s dream run, it was Tezz last year that stopped Ajay from his share of continuity.

Coincidentally, Tezz released last year post his birthday and Himmatwala released just prior to his birthday, both being failures and doing nothing great to the charismatic career that Ajay could have boasted of, sans this typical nonsensical films!

Today, as we celebrate the Birthday of our Himmatwala, there is just an anecdote of what movie goers and industry inhabitants would advice this dark and powerful actor. An actor who was labeled by his sheer cinematic brilliance in films like Zakhm, The Legend of Bhagat Singh and Gangaajal has actually been reduced to ashes with lack luster performances that have no story to tell. While Bol Bachchan and Son Of Sardaar were major box office successes raking in a lot of moolah under the Ajay Devgn brand, both the films were typical pot boilers with a loose narrative. Ajay, the actor is slowly perishing and giving way to Ajay, the superstar who in his own terms is failing to maintain that level of continuity in his array of successes as well.

With the release of the hyped and euphoric Sajid Khan Entertainer last Friday, the film was expected to create thunderstorms at the box office, shattering many a records this year since it brings into fore the tale of two successful individuals together: Sajid Khan and Ajay Devgn. The film maker and the actor who have both tasted super success in the recent past with their films doing exclusively mammoth business at the box office have failed to deliver the performance of the magnitude that was expected out of them.

While the ‘funwaala’, ‘actionwaala’ Himmatwala was reduced to the mere shackles of tom foolery and utter stupidity, the film was panned by critics at large. Nevertheless unlike other Sajid Khan entertainers which manages to pick up well in spite of negative reviews, Himmatwala failed to rise up to the stage and gain any momentum. Neither could it speed up the cash registrars, which generally is the story with any masala action drama these days. Plus, a disgusting and dismal acting performance in both his superhit films last year landed him with the Special Golden Kela Award for the Worst Actor category! To think that this Ajay was once the recipient of the National Award for his awing performance in his films and then finally reaching this stage today, funny isn’t it?

As we just said, Tezz brought the ultimate showdown to the rising success of Ajay, the Superstar last year and Himmatwala definitely was the worst choice of films lined up for Ajay as it could only bring his credibility down by notches low! Although it is too difficult, rather impossible to ask our actor-turned-superstars to get rid of the South Indian masala action drama and gibberish stunt wale flicks at bay, it would be wonderful to see Ajay doing another Ajay Desai or an S.P. Amit Kumar act right from his closet. While New Year is meant for resolutions, we wish Ajay resurrects his sinking acting credibility to do some more thought-provoking and less glitzy films that brings back the Ajay we love back into the game.

We wish Ajay, the actor a very Happy Birthday and wish he can rise like a phoenix and get out of this mindless numbers game and just Act!

This track has a flavour of many languages, courtesy Sameer Anjaan. Bappi Lahiri makes a small entry in the track towards the end and adds final touches to it. The song is composed by

Enjoy the song right here:

Ajay Devgn in Dhoka Dhoka Item Song in Himmatwala Movie Stills

Directed by Sajid Khan, Himmatwala releases 29th March 2013.

Enjoy the video right here:

Ajay Devgn in a still from Himmatwala Movie

Himmatwala releases on 29th March, 2013.

Said Sajid, “In the film, five goons from five different states come to beat Ajay, and all of them speak a dialogue. After bashing them up, Ajay repeats their dialogues in their language. I have kept subtitles so that people can understand it. I wrote the lines in English and Ajay mugged it up like a parrot and delivered it and added that while dubbing he took his assistants’ help.”

Ajay Devgn in a still from Himmatwala Movie

While dubbing the team took Sajid’s assistants’ help. Says Sajid, “We got in two-three different people like one of my assistants speaks Punjabi, one is a Tamil and one is a Bengali – they helped Ajay with correct pronunciation. They are proper dialogues”

Himmatwala also stars southern actress Tamannaah and is set to release March 29

Smiles Sajid, “Ajay and I have been buddies since our college days. I want to state this on record that Ajay is a director’s delight. I don’t think that there is any role that he cannot do. Now because I love him and the very core of Himmatwala so much, I have gone all out to make it special for both. The way Ajay has been presented in the film is on the lines of Amitabh Bachchan being presented by Manmohan Desai in his many films.”

In that aspect, Tamannaah Bhatia too has turned out to be a lucky girl indeed. After all, she turned out to be the chosen one after she nudged out quite a few other established leading ladies from Bollywood.

Sajid Khan and Ajay Devgn

“Arrey nahi, aisa kuch nahi hua tha. Yes, I remember that there was a talk about how different Bollywood heroines were approached for the film or how there were some who were quite keen to do the film. Really, all of that was completely false,” says Sajid.

He continues, “As a matter of fact, I never wanted a Bollywood heroine and always had my eyes set on someone big from South. This is something that I was very superstitious about. When I told Vashu (Bhagnani) that, he got in touch with Tamannaah’s father. Within a day she was in his office and without even blinking an eye or me seeing a single South film of hers, she was signed.”

One does wonder though if it was a well calculated risk that he took.

“When you see the kind of reactions that her performance in Naino Mein Sapna is getting, do you think it was risky? You can credit her experience and my gut instincts for that”, smiles Sajid.

A co-production of Vashu Bhagnani and Siddharth Roy Kapur, Himmatwala releases all over on 29th March.

Joginder Tuteja tweets @tutejajoginder

Enjoy the video right here:

Ajay Devgn in a still from Himmatwala Movie

Himmatwala releases on 29th March, 2013.

Himmatwala Ravi (Ajay) gives a solid warning to the cunning Sarpanch (Mahesh Manjrekar)!

Enjoy the video right here:

Mahesh Manjrekar, Paresh Rawal and Ajay Devgn in a still from Himmatwala Movie

Himmatwala releases on 29th March, 2013.

The track would remind one of ‘Bum Bum Bole’ from Taare Zameen Par, not because of the use of the word ‘bum’ but because of the energy and ‘masti’ element. Kids will definitely appreciate this track as they would love to show their strength in front of bullies.

Shaan sings this light composition in his trademark style and accentuates the affect of the track. Enjoy the song right here:

Ajay Devgn and Tamannaah in Bum Pe Laat Song in Himmatwala Movie Stills

Himmatwala releases 29th March 2013.

Ajay Devgn

A shy introvert from the Phool Aur Kaante days, this tall, dark and handsome man has redefined entertainment, courtesy his reigning masala films that has catapulted him to the pinnacles of his career. Breaking all shackles of clichéd Bolly routines, Ajay Devgn has always been the dark horse of tinsel town.

With most his films working wonders today, Ajay, the superstar is also known for his grounded earthiness and humble nature. But being an actor has its own pangs. Life sans controversies is not life and that’s what holds true for Ajay as well.

Let’s take a flashback into the little and relatively seldom-used-superstar-name in the controversy arena.

Ajay’s public print fight with Raveena Tandon:

The co-stars from Dilwale were reportedly courting each other when Ajay fell for Karisma Kapoor. History has it that ever since, Karisma and Raveena has maintained a strong silence on their past, while both took several digs and potshots at each other. Raveena, the major bone of contention enraged an open, print war, bad mouthing Ajay and Lolo which continued for years. In every second interview, Ajay and Raveena had to pass some statements defaming each other and it was not until Raveena’s TV show outing “It’s My Life” that Raveena shared the same space with once-upon-a-time-beau Ajay. Nevertheless, now that everything is sorted between the three post the ugly verbal print controversy, we wish that they stay friends forever!

Ajay’s break up with Karisma: 

Never trust a man who leaves you for another woman, that’s how we put it. But we guess, Karisma had gone off to some other hallucination when she thoroughly believed in Ajay leaving Raveena ‘coz he was madly in love with her. Karisma, the vulnerable and docile person suffered the biggest blow of her life when she had to face a bitter truth: the truth of Ajay being head over heels in love with his favourite co-star Kajol. The break up shattered Karisma like nothing but Ajay moved on and incidentally has been with Kajol, ever since! A family man now, Ajay was surely at his Casanova best while in his early 30s! Umm, Naughty Boy!

The Copyright Controversy:

When Ajay and Rohit Shetty moved on their All The Best, little did they know that the best wishes that they received would not pay off well. Even before the film released and had an average response, fingers were raised at Ajay and the entire team of All the Best for blatantly stealing the plotline from an unmade script, brought by Karan Ramsay. Ramsay went into a legal tussle and eventually won the fight as Ajay Devgn’s production house claimed that their film was just an official remake of the American film, “Right Bed, Wrong Husband”, rights of which were brought by them for 40,000$!

The Foul Dialogue Controversy for Singham:

While Singham made it to the coveted 100 crore club, the film created a national uproar on the very first day of its release. While a scene where Prakash Raj, the antagonist and Ajay Devgn come face to face and exchange a verbal argument of sorts, Ajay, reportedly referred the Kanaadigas as dogs, which irked a controversy yet again. Ajay had to finally remove the scene from the film’s reels while the Kannada organizations staged protests against the film, stalling film screenings and tearing posters.

The Son of Sardaar-Sikh community fallout:

Ajay Devgn who portrayed the role of a Sikh in his last film, Son of Sardaar landed up in the midst of a controversy when a special teaser and the official trailer referring to Sikhs as the backbone of all jokes surfaced to gain publicity. Human Rights activist Navkiran Singh had filed a legal lawsuit against the actor, asking him to cut off the derogatory scenes and snide remarks from the final show reel which depicted the Sikhs in bad light. Not wanting to ire the Sikh community at large, Devgn complied with the wishes thereby creating a healthy balance of sorts.

The Legal Battle with YRF:

YRF had announced their Diwali release Jab Tak Hai Jaan, a year ahead of its release but Ashwini Dhir and Ajay Devgn decided to take a risk by contemplating the same release date for Diwali. Post Yash Chopra’s sudden death, Ajay Devgn’s production house filed a legal lawsuit against the Yash Raj Films, for manipulating their way to get more screen space from distributors at all major centres of the nation. The incident did not go well with majority of the masses, who called it a cheap publicity stunt and an act of insecurity, with a fear of failing to liven up to their expectations, when pitted against the more-publicized Shah Rukh Khan starrer Jab Tak Hai Jaan. The Court rejected Ajay’s plea but his film got ample screens to be screened, which resulted in the film making 100 crores with quite an ease. But what the incident left was a bad taste of Ajay, the usually ignorant and humble human being who suddenly stood out as the villain.

Today, while Ajay continues to balance his professional life and personal life efficiently, we wish that Ajay stays miles away from unwanted controversies, which hence are an integral part of the showbiz!

Ajay says this is his second stint with a big cat. However, this time he did it with proper safety measures.

“This is the second time I have fought a tiger in life after Vijaypath. We took complete safety precautions. And now it is much more easier to do such scenes. In Vijaypath when I fought a tiger, there was no safety. Him and me in the cage, and fighting,” said Ajay Devgn.

Ajay Devgn Fight Scene with Tiger Still from Himmatwala Movie

Director Sajid said that on the sets of Himmatwala, the tiger became so friendly with Ajay “that he was freely moving on the sets”

Also starring southern actress Tamannaah, Himmatwala is all set to hit the screens on 29th March, 2013.

Tamannaah and Ajay Devgn in Taki Taki Song in Himmatwala Movie Stills

Himmatwala releases 29th March 2013.

Ajay Devgn

Ajay Devgn has signed a Rs 400 crore pact with Star India by which he has bought exclusive satellite rights for all his releases till 2017.

Star India is heavily interested in making these deals with famous Bollywood stars. Last month Salman Khan signed a similar pact with Star. Both Salman and Ajay are confident of this move going by their recent successes. Being a part of the prestigious 100 crore club, they both have 4 of their films crossing 100 crores. The 100 crore films have an obvious better brand value and hence is a safe deal for Star India.

Ajay Devgn who is currently shooting in Bhopal for Prakash Jha’s film Satyagraha is quite confident of his investment. He appreciates the transparency of business these days, which makes investing a wise and tested process.

This move of Devgn will increase the chances of him getting more projects, as the deal which is valid for a 5 year tenure, will benefit the producers heavily. The deal will include at least 10 of the actor’s films spanning over the next 5 years. The deal will save the producer at least 35% of the production cost, which will turn out to be beneficial for them in the long run.

Devgn isn’t on a social service spree at all, just a tremendously beneficial contract, which will benefit both producers and him equally. He will reserve for himself a fixed amount of profit share. But his deal will eventually result in a better working relation between him and his producers.

Star India has 18 of his earlier films besides the ones he is currently working on. Devgn has a host of films lined up, all of which Trade Analysts have predicted will be superhits. His upcoming ventures are Sajid Khan’s Himmatwala, Prakash Jha’s Satyagraha, Prabhu Deva’s action film, followed by Singham 2 which is set to go on floors later this year.

Star India’s COO Sanjay Gupta confirmed that this deal has a great strategic value for Star. Despite the multiplexes and other screens, India still has a far reaching television audience for whom premier of important films is crucial. Each premier records a minimum of 30 crore viewers. Gupta added that this move also buys them more advertisers. Television Premier of successful films helps in increasing their Television Rating Points heavily. Movies add around 30% of Gross Rating Points for Star, which is noticed rather conspicuously by advertisers.

Last three Ajay Devgn premiers have recorded an average of 6.2 TRPs which assured Star India of Devgn’s current market value making this deal feasible for them, if not profitable. On the other hand, Ajay who has created a market record with four films in 100 crore club, has made a smart move to harvest further his present popularity with both audiences and his producers.

Himmatwala Poster

It is an intriguing question that poses Bollywood – Will Sajid’s Himmatwala appeal to the audiences? Many might have chanced upon the film’s trailer that was released recently. The film which is the remake of the 1981 Telugu film Ooriki starring the hit pair of Jeetendra and Sridevi, is all set to be recreated in Bollywood in 2013.

The film appears to be really fluorescently colored which is contrary to the realistic vein of cinema these days. Though Sajid’s sister Farah Khan eloquently exhibited her fine knowledge of Bollywood in Om Shanti Om, by recreating the 60s’ Era brilliantly, one can hope the same from Sajid.

Cast in the lead role as Himmatwala, is Ajay Devgn. Ajay who has delivered several 100 crore hits with Rohit Shetty is now teaming up with Sajid Khan, who was always been visibly favorable towards Akshay Kumar. Ajay’s sense of humor is more rustic compared to Sajid’s more urban fashion of humor. Now that Sajid tried his hand at recreating a film from 1980s, trade analysts have great expectations from the film. Ajay was a smart choice of cast as he has already proved his meticulousness at delivering roles typed like these in films like Bol Bachchan – comedy and action enmeshed.

Sajid Khan and Akshay Kumar was a hit duo. Delivering laugh-offs like Heyy Babyy, Housefull and Housefull 2, the films have given a newer level to smart-ass humor in Bollywood. Audiences who are used to Sajid-Akshay duo are almost loyalists of that pair. It will definitely be an unusual alteration for them.

Going by Ajay’s individual popularity after successful 100 crore raking films like Golmaal 3, Singham, Son Of Sardaar and Bol Bachchan, and Sajid’s successful stints like Heyy Babyy and Housefull, this unusual pair might actually have a chance at stupendous success this time.

While stern loyalists might be offended, but if Himmatwala has an entertaining content that strikes well with the audience, Sajid-Ajay might become the new hot actor-director pair in Bollywood. Since both Sajid and Ajay are used to maintaining their 100 crore marks well enough till now, they will surely put in their best work to remain on top. Koimoi wishes Himmatwala, all the luck!