Explorer

Madhavan Calls Ajay Devgn 'Sherdil' For Passing On The Meaty Role In Shaitaan To Him

Bollywood star Ajay Devgn on Thursday said horror and supernatural stories are among his favourite genres and he is thrilled to explore it again in "Shaitaan" after the success of "Bhoot".

New Delhi: Bollywood star Ajay Devgn on Thursday said horror and supernatural stories are among his favourite genres and he is thrilled to explore it again in "Shaitaan" after the success of his 2003 hit "Bhoot".

Directed by Vikas Bahl, "Shaitaan", is described as a gripping tale with elements of black magic.

"It's not that we (superstars) don't want to do horror films. If we get something interesting, then why not?... I like this genre and I was waiting to explore it again. When I did 'Bhoot' we got a lot of appreciation after that I didn't get any script that was good in this genre," Devgn said at the trailer launch event of "Shaitaan".

The film also features south star Jyotika and R Madhavan. It is a remake of the 2023 Gujarati horror film "Vash", which was written and directed by Krishnadev Yagnik. Devgn said he liked the basic story of the original film and decided to make it in Hindi "The base of the story was very strong hence we did this film, and we adapted the film in our own way," he said.

"Shaitaan" features R Madhavan as the antagonist and Jyothika as Devgn's wife. Actor Janki Bodiwala, who starred in the Gujarati film, "Vash", also features in the remake.

When asked if Devgn and Madhavan thought about swapping their roles, Devgn said he wasn't keen to play the negative role as he connected the most with the emotions of a helpless father in the movie.

"When we started shooting, the first thing Maddy (Madhavan) told me was: 'Why aren't you doing this role, why have you given it to me?'. I told him, 'I really feel for the character of the father, so I will not be able to do justice to the other character. It's a stronger character though," the actor said.

Madhavan called Devgn a "sherdil" (braveheart) and 'Singham' of the industry for being kind enough to pass on the meaty role in "Shaitaan". "I can really hope and pray that I could do justice to the kindness that has been shown to me by Ajay sir and his team, I'm very thankful," he said.

Bahl, known for films such as “Queen”, “Super 30” and “Goodbye”, said he was "nervous" about making a supernatural movie, a first for him.

"The nervousness comes a lot from the fact that I've not done the genre before... Before we started shooting, I told my AD (assistant directors) team that we will learn how to make a film like this, we would watch YouTube videos, read interviews of other directors, and we used to look at camera work. It was almost like tuition classes. One day we were one day watching, 'Shining' (1980 English movie), as an example," Bahl said.

"As a storyteller, it's a great challenge to try new things, stay nervous all the time, hopefully qualify in different genres so that it opens up your world of storytelling," he added.

"Shaitaan” is produced by Devgn, Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak under the banner Ajay Devgn Ffilm and Panorama Studios, respectively. It is also produced by Jio Studios.

Kumar Mangat Pathak revealed that the team already has plans to make the second part of "Shaitaan".

"Shaitaan" will be released in theatres on March 8. 

(This report has been published as part of an auto-generated syndicated wire feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been modified or edited by ABP LIVE.)

Top Headlines

Alia Bhatt's 'Alpha' Enters Rs 100 Cr Club On Day 20, Becomes 2026's Eighth Highest-Grosser
Alia Bhatt's 'Alpha' Enters Rs 100 Cr Club On Day 20, Becomes 2026's Eighth Highest-Grosser
'Lokah' Star Kalyani Priyadarshan Bags Key Role Opposite Ranveer Singh In Rs 300 Crore 'Pralay'
'Lokah' Star Kalyani Priyadarshan Bags Key Role Opposite Ranveer Singh In Rs 300 Crore 'Pralay'
Ramayana Trailer Release: When And Where To Watch It In India
Ramayana Trailer Release: When And Where To Watch It In India
'Jana Nayagan' Belongs To The People Now, Says Producer Venkat Narayana As Vijay's Film Hits Cinemas
'Jana Nayagan' Belongs To The People Now, Says Producer Venkat Narayana As Vijay's Film Hits Cinemas

Videos

PARLIAMENT DEADLOCK: Opposition Stands Firm on Education Minister’s Resignation Before Discussion
Politics: Opposition Targets PM Modi Over Silence on Student Protest
Maharashtra Politics: Uddhav-Raj Thackeray Target Government Over Student Protests, Announce Mega March
BJP vs Opposition: NEET Row Escalates in Parliament as Opposition Demands Education Minister’s Resignation
Parliament NEET Row: BJP Accuses Congress of Avoiding NEET Debate, Highlights Fast-Track Court Decision

Photo Gallery

25°C
New Delhi
Rain: 100mm
Humidity: 97%
Wind: WNW 47km/h
See Today's Weather
powered by
Accu Weather
Embed widget