Vishal Veeru Devgan (born 2 April 1969), known professionally as Ajay Devgn, is an Indian actor, film director, and producer who works primarily in Hindi cinema. A leading actor of Hindi cinema, Devgn has appeared in over 100 films and has won numerous accolades, including four National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards. In 2016, he was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri, the country's fourth-highest civilian honour.[2]
Devgn emerged a star with his first film, the 1991 action romance Phool Aur Kaante, which earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut.[3][4] He played further action roles in the films Jigar (1992), Vijaypath (1994), Dilwale (1994), Jaan (1996) and Diljale (1996), and romantic roles in Ishq (1997), Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998) and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999). For playing a riot victim in Zakhm (1998) and Bhagat Singh in The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002), he twice won the National Film Award for Best Actor. He also gained praise for the crime dramas Company (2002) and Omkara (2006).
After expanding to comedies with Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006), Devgn collaborated with Rohit Shetty on a number of action and comedy films, including Golmaal Returns (2008), Golmaal 3 (2010), Singham (2011), Singham Returns (2014), and Golmaal Again (2017). His highest-grossing releases came with Total Dhamaal (2019), Tanhaji (2020) and Drishyam 2 (2022).[5] For portraying the title role in Tanhaji, he won this third National Film Award for Best Actor.
Devgn owns a production company Ajay Devgn FFilms, which was established in 2000. He has also starred in and directed the films U Me Aur Hum (2008), Runway 34 (2022), and Bholaa (2023).
In 2024, Ajay Devgn starrer Singham Again is slated to release.[6]
Family background and marriage
Devgn with his wife Kajol at an event in 2020
Devgn was born to a Punjabi Hindu family originally from Amritsar, Punjab.[7] The family has connections to the Hindi film industry in Mumbai. Devgn's father, Veeru Devgan, was a stunt choreographer and action-film director and his mother, Veena, is a film producer. His cousin, Anil Devgan, is a filmmaker and screenwriter. Devgn graduated from the Silver Beach High School in Juhu and then studied at Mithibai College.[8][9]
Devgn began a relationship with the actress Karisma Kapoor while filming Jigar (1992), however, the couple ended their relationship in 1995.[10] That same year, Devgn's relationship with the actress, Kajol, began whilst they were co-starring in Gundaraj (1995).[11] The media called them "an unlikely pair" due to their contrasting personalities.[12][13] On 24 February 1999, the couple married in a traditional Maharashtrian Hindu ceremony at the Devgan home.[14][15] The couple has two children. Their daughter, Nysa, was born in 2003[16] and their son, Yug, was born in 2010.[17][18][13] Devgn and Kajol stored their newborn son's umbilical cord blood and tissues to act as a source of stem cells in case of serious ailment.[19] In August 2009, Devgn changed the spelling of his surname Devgan to Devgn, at the request of his family.[20] He is a practicing Shaiva Hindu who prominently wears a Rudraksha which, along with other religious themes, features in his films.[21][22][23][24][25] Devgn was the first Bollywood personality to own a private jet for transport to shooting locations, to promotions and for personal trips.[26]
Career
