Dear Ajay Devgn
Wish you a very happy birthday. I am a 20 something girl who hasn’t grown up watching your films, though I make sure that now I don’t miss watching any of your cinematic works in theatre. So, here I’ll just take a few moments to tell you how much I like you as an actor and as a person (I have been lucky enough to meet you twice). I am writing to you on this day because we writers always need a reason, little push to make our wits run in one direction.
Mr Devgn, the first time I noticed and felt completely amazed by your performance on screen was when I watched Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. In fact, your performance made me interested in being a movie buff that I am now, and also added to my love for Hindi cinema. I, then, of course, went on to watch most of your films. The fan in me, who was ‘in-making’ then, again went in awe of your performance when I watched The Legend of Bhagat Singh. I had watched your Phool Aur Kaante once in childhood and also Diljale, but couldn’t remember it entirely. I loved ‘ek prem kahaani me, ek ladka hota hai…‘ and also your song from Major Saab — ‘Akeli na bazaar jaya karo…‘ So I plugged these films again and made sure that my weekend remained busy in appreciating Ajay Devgn’s films and updating Facebook by telling the world how brilliant an actor you are.
This was all normal, like I was just a fan till I became an entertainment journo and fortunately achieved a position where I could meet you finally. So, I first saw you during the press conference of Bol Bachchan in Delhi. I could just see you then. And then after so many years, I finally got a chance to interview you last year during your Delhi visit for Shivaay’s promotions. In fact, I don’t know how I got lucky enough to shoot you inside your suite. Mine was the last interview. Though you were tired (your eyes conveyed so), you were smiling throughout the interview. Later, at the special dinner that you had organised for a few media people, I met you again. After an informal chat where you disclosed some industry secrets (no, I haven’t revealed any), all of us got dispersed for dinner. I was getting late and told your PR team that I won’t be able to have food. You heard that, called me and asked me to have food. I told you I couldn’t because my mother had prepared dinner at home and my words explaining this to you were: “sir, my mother didn’t know that I’ll be staying back after the interview to have dinner. So, she had prepared food for me. And trust me, she won’t spare me if the food gets wasted even if I tell her that I had dinner with you.” What you did then was immensely surprising and made my family a fan of yours.
You asked whether my mother has ever liked your work. I told you she does. You signed an autograph for her, asking for her name and told me to present that to her as a bribe if she scolds me that I had dinner outside. I did the same. I handed over that signed paper to my mother and she got so emotional. She had just heard of such stories of Bollywood stars being so humble from here and there. But, that instance touched her. And I, for that rare moment, felt happy about my profession. An autograph of yours brought a smile on the faces of all my family members. My pops (father) was happy because my mother was. My grandparents were happy because I showed them the footage of the interview, my siblings, and cousins, because they could proudly flaunt that their dear didi had met Ajay Devgn and they also had the proof — my happy picture with you. Thank you for giving that moment to my family. For them, I was the reason behind their happiness. For me, you were.
Coming to your work again, Mr Devgn, I don’t think I have been able to like any of your work at par with your performance in OUTIM, honestly. I really wanted Shivaay to do that magic for me. It was a good film but Once Upon… is still a class apart. Though all your dialogues left a great impression, your ‘dua mein yaad rakhna‘ has become a part of me. In fact, I have decided to get it tattooed on my wrist soon. I will, and also tweet you hoping that you’d acknowledge it. I am also looking forward to Baadshaho, before Golmaal 4 because I want to witness the same thrill as of OUTIM. No wonder you, Milan Luthria, Rajat Arora and Emraan Hashmi are coming back!
I have still a lot to share and tell you but will wait for the next time I meet you for an interview. My regards to Kajol ma’am and a big hug to Nysa and Yug.
Also read: Interview: Taapsee Pannu on being a quintessential middle-class Bollywood heroine and more
Yours sincerely
A fan who happens to be a journalist
Vineeta
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