Now, Kajol and Ajay Devgan are all set to take the plunge playing judges on a television show. The grapevine is abuzz with a 20 crore deal reportedly signed by the Devgans to judge a dance-based reality show. What’s more, the shoot will get over in three months flat. The cute couple will judge the show, which will see three generations of a family dancing together.
Grandparents will dance alongside their children and grandchildren.
Strange as it may seem, Bollywood’s power couple Kajol and Ajay Devgan have never been on a date — ever! Apparently, the two got to know each other while shooting, so that awkward, first date phase slipped right by them. Now happily married, the made-for-each-other actors are busy promoting their new film, You, Me Aur Hum. And they’re doing so not by taking the clichéd route, but by promoting the concept of speed dating!
Catch the good-looking couple talk about love, dating and first crushes.
March 8, 2008 4:18:42 PM IST Abid, Bollywood Trade News Network
After the good response to the music and the innovative promos of her husband Ajay Devgan's directorial debut venture, U, ME AUR HUM, Kajol is on cloud nine. She, along with her loving hubby is leaving no stone unturned to hype the movie further. Whether its reality shows, events or magazine launch, the couple has been seen all over in a bid to promote their movie. In fact, trade believes that U, ME AUR HUM is all set for an exciting start next month, when it hits the silver screen.
Things are really happening for Kajol on the professional front. As is known Kajol's next project, Karan Johar's, KHAN / MY NAME IS KHAN, is with her favourite co-star and friend Shah Rukh Khan. Their last two projects with Karan, KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI and KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM have re-written box-office history. While Karan had already broken the news about Kajol's final approval, we were very keen to hear it from the top actress herself. And the good news is that Kajol says that she has given her tentative 'yes', but goes on to add that she has not seen the script as yet.
While on the project that will team up Karan-SRK-Kajol for the third time, it is all set to roll after King Khan completes the shooting of Aditya Chopra's, RAB NE BANA DI JODI, later this year.
There was family bonding galore at J W Marriott on Thursday evening as Ajay Devgan, Kajol and Tanujaa shared a few laughs and interacted with guests at the announcement party of another reality dance show.
This one, however, is zara hatke, as three generations of a family will compete against one another. The evening was hosted by a debonair looking Sharad Kelkar who set the ball rolling by talking nostalgically about the joint family set-up he grew up in.
Ajay and Kajol were at their candid and witty best. Kajol spoke about the importance of family shows on television.
Ajay agreed with her stating that it’s essential that parents, children and grandparents bond together even over the idiot box! Tanujaa took a trip down memory lane, reliving her growing-up years with a huge family. The affair ended on a light-hearted note as Kajol and Ajay sportingly fielded questions about who makes who dance to the other’s tune.
To which Kajol smiled, “Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are my days to dance and the other three are Ajay’s turn. On Sundays, it’s Nysa who literally makes us all dance. She plays her favourite music and makes all of us jiggy to it!” Tarun Mehra from the channel was also present at this fun-filled family affair.
Actress Kajol will soon be seen along with hubby Ajay Devgan in U, Me Aur Hum.
After looking at the promos, many are wondering if this project is autobiographical. But Ajay is really not that romantic to pay a tribute to their pyaar and all that.
“Ajay thought of a story and made a film. It’s as simple as that. The whole story is fictional and doesn’t have anything to do with Ajay and my love story,” said Kajol.
Now, with Ajay being a better romeo on-screen than off it, we guess this film will be more interesting than their autobiographical pyaar ki kahani .
Kajol (nee Mukherjee) was at the pinnacle of her acting career when she announced that she was going to marry Ajay Devgan. The norm in the film industry is for female actresses to quit after marriage - largely because filmmakers honestly feared their new status would hinder the success of their movie - fans dreaded the bombshell announcement that was to follow. It didn't. Kajol was going to have it all - a husband, family and career. The reasoning was that if actresses like Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini and Kirron Kher could do it, so could she.
Today, Kajol and Devgan are regarded as one of Bollywood's most respected celebrity couples. Beside disproving the theory that some marriages simply wilt and fall apart over time, à la that of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia, Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh and Aamir Khan and Reena, these two have been inseparable and immensely supportive of each other's career.
Why are they so perfect for each other? Well, they are complete opposites. Kajol is the epitome of grace and classic beauty and she has an infectious, bubbly spirit. Ajay is more the strong, silent and serious type. When they hit those rough patches, as all married couples do, they work things out instead of throwing in the towel
Remember the time when their marriage was reportedly on the rocks, because Devgan wanted kids and Kajol had too many film commitments at the time? Yes, she gave it all up to have their daughter, Nysa, in April 2003. It is this mutual respect and compromise that they've adopted that has seen their marriage go from strength to strength.
Did I mention that Devgan and Kajol have electrifying on-screen chemistry? One need only to watch Ishq (1997) and Dil Kya Kare (1999) for confirmation. And now the award-winning star couple will return to the silver screen in a fluffy romance, U Me Aur Hum, which is being directed and produced by Ajay. While they are keeping a tight lid on the storyline, it promises to be a visually and emotionally indulgent affair for hopeless romantics.
Other celebrity couples like Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna, Juhi Chawla and Jai Mehta, Raveena Tandon and Anil Thadani, and, of course, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, prove that not all romances that are born on film sets are doomed. A feel-good happy ending in real-life - doesn't it just leave you with that warm, fuzzy feeling?
TIMES NOW bring exclusive sneak peek of the making of Ajay Devgan's directorial debut -- 'U Me Aur Hum' Certainly wife, Kajol is all praise for hubby; actor turned director Ajay Devgan. Kajol probably calls the shots at home but on the sets of ‘U Me Aur Hum’, it’s husband Ajay Devgan in charge. With Ajay Devgan’s directorial debut-- 'U Me Aur Hum' all set for release, TIMES NOW brings exclusive sneak peek into the making of the movie where Kajol gets talking about her better half's directorial debut.
When asked about whether Ajay and Kajol rehearsed scenes together, Kajol admitted that their schedules never matched, so they were unable to rehearse together. Kajol very coyly stated that eventually when she was dancing with Ajay Devgan on the sets, she was shocked at how good Ajay was. When Kajol told hubby about how surprised she was with his dancing skills he said, "That is insulting that you think I am that bad actually."
Kajol on the experience of being in her husband—Ajay Devgans directorial debut...
The actress who had a rather tough time shooting one of the song sequences in the film agreed that apart from being a challenging act, it was fun being a part of her husband's so called first attempt at direction. Kajol admitted that shooting for the film was not easy, especially while shooting one of the song sequences, where she was thrown about six feet in the air. Her on set incident broke one of the dancers nose on the way down, after which she said that she was unable to do another take of that scene. The first take is said to be eventually used in the movie.
Looks like both Kajol and Ajay, had a ball of a time shooting for the film. Ajay who has already charmed audiences with his intense acting earlier, he looks to leave no stones unturned to eventually come across as one of the finest men behind the camera as well. With a power packed combination of Kajol and Ajay onscreen, the viewer's expectations are only bound to rise. The much awaited movie is slated for an April 2008 release.
10 Mar, 2008 09:09 am ISTlAjay Devgan/INDIATIMES MOVIES
Questions Ajay Devgan in an exclusive column written by him for Indiatimes Movies.
People keep asking me how I decided that this was the right time to direct my own film. To be honest, I don't really know if this is the right time or not, but I know that this is a story I wanted to tell. A story I believed in. And felt strongly about. As they say, one from the heart.
Why this particular story? I can list many reasons, but the most important, and the primary reason for me to want to make this film, is its positivity. I've noticed that people these days have become more cynical and less optimistic than before. They tend to naturally have a negative outlook about things. Especially with regards to love, relationships, feelings, marriage, the works.
In today's scientific world, everyone seems to be looking for tangible justifications for things they do. Even with regards to love, people spend hours theorizing about chemical reactions in the body, the impact of hormones and other such clinical things. My question is - where has all our romance gone? Why this obsession with rationale? Why do we hesitate to accept that it is possible, that deep within, one soul makes a connection with another – instinctively, impulsively, immediately?
Love at first sight. Happy marriages. Soulmates. These are concepts I believe in. I know that they exist. And as a result, they are important elements of my film.
A lot of people question the institution of marriage, or blame it when problems arise. I feel that in a marriage, or any relationship for that matter, problems are inevitable, and 'giving up' should be one's last option. However, an increasing number of people just prefer to give up at the first sign of trouble. Relationships, especially marriages, deserve better.
The fact of the matter is that any relationship needs work. A huge amount of effort is needed to keep a relationship going strong. And if love is the basis of the relationship, making this effort comes naturally, and is enjoyable. When this effort to maintain the magic in one's relationship is inadequate, cracks begin to appear. But the concept of marriage is not to blame for this. The people in it are. Because solutions always exist, but people just tend to concentrate on the problems alone.
Now I sound like I'm preaching! This film is not made with the intention of being a sermon about relationships. Nor is it made to prove my talent as a director. And it is definitely not my intention to change the way people think or live their lives. A film is meant to entertain you. To give you your money's worth. To give you a good time, at least as long as it lasts. And that is what I have set out to do. I hope I succeed.
And in addition to entertaining you, if it makes you just spare a thought about the state of your relationship, or encourage you to make an improvement in it, then my success will be so much greater.
In about a month we will get to see a film that many cannot wait for U Me Aur Hum. As many of you probably know the movie is the directorial debut of Ajay Devgan and he is also starring in the film along with his wife Kajol. Ajay is very happy with how U Me Aur Hum has turned out and he recently talked about the film, the actors, being a director and other filmi topics.
About the film Ajay said, “U Me Aur Hum is a complete family social. There is a lot of humor, drama etc in my film. I would rather call my film a romantic film which has a lot of drama and humor.”
There have been rumors that U Me Aur Hum is like the Hollywood film, The Notebook but Ajay denied this saying, “My film is completely different. Every script is different from one another. Every one tries to make some thing different. My film has its own standing in its own genre."
As a director he was very sure about who he wanted to cast for the roles and said, “I was clear of what I wanted, the day my script was ready. I wanted to cast Kajol, Karan, Sumeet Raghavan etc in my film. Isn't every director supposed to take a conscious decision to cast good actors so that he can mould them according to the way the script demands."
Clarifying that he cast Kajol not because she is his wife but because, “I thought that Kajol was the best actress suited for the role. She fitted the bill perfectly to the T."
As an actor the filming is complete, however as the director there is still post production and Ajay said, “As a director, I find very hard pressed for time. Lot of work still needs to be done and the post production work is draining me off. All said and done, I do not think my life or for that matter my life style has changed in any way ever since I turned a director. I am the same family man even now, and long to spend more time with my daughter Nysa and wife Kajol.”
He did not find it difficult to act as well as direct, “I had the entire vision of my film very clear in my mind right from Day One when I set out to launch my film and hence I found that it was quite easy for me to act as well as direct at the same time.”
Ajay also wore a producers cap for this film and he said, “As far as U Me Aur Hum is concerned, I saw to it that I did not go over board as a producer. Yet, at the same time I did not cut down on the costs either. I managed to strike a neat balance as a producer as far as U Me Aur Hum is concerned.”
Ajay is currently shooting for Golmaal Returns and though he would not give much a way he did reveal, “All that I would say is that I play Kareena Kapoor's husband in the film. The film has a lot of situational humor embedded to it. Rohit Shetty who had directed Golmaal is directing this one too, though it is not a sequel. Golmaal Returns is part of the Golmaal series and does not necessarily have the same characters of Golmaal, except for one or two.”
Ajay chooses his roles carefully and said that, “As an actor, I go by the script first and the director and the producer afterwards. Besides a good script and a good director, you need a sound producer to see through the completion of your film. I like good work because I enjoy doing good work. Though it may sound very clichéd, I feel that as an actor, it is good to do different roles because it keeps you going as an actor instead of letting you stagnate in your path.”
Suruchi Mazumdar Posted online: Tuesday , March 11, 2008 at 01:40:59
Ajay Devgan maintained his usual straight face, while wife Kajol needed no excuse to indulge in peals of laughter. This star couple made a public appearance recently to promote Zee TV’s forthcoming dance show Rock N Roll Family, which will have them as judges along with Tanuja.
The television show will definitely serve as the ideal prelude to the release of Devgan’s directorial debut U, Me Aur Hum. The film is ready to hit theatres in April and features the actor couple in lead. To stoke the fire of curiosity even further, Devgan and Kajol were even ready to offer their fans a sneak peek into their picture perfect household—protected from the glare of media till recently.
“We make sure we have enough time for ourselves and our daughter Nysa even if we are busy shooting for films, and now for television,” says Devgan, in his usual serious tone. The actor-turned-director meticulously answered the questions, while his star wife looked on proudly at him through the better part of the interview.
Even eight years after marriage, the love seemed to be intact. As they chatted with me, the cheerful Kajol whispered sweet nothings into her husband’s ears and even patted him lovingly. Devgan, even though enjoyed his wife’s attention, looked embarrassed at times. However, the topic of his daughter made him more comfortable and forthcoming. “Nysa loves to play music and she ensures that all of us, including my parents, take part in the dancing,” he says. “Of the two of us, Kajol is stricter with her. I am more lenient since I don’t get to spend as much time with Nysa as her mother does.”
To add to the right dose of drama and emotion, the couple made sure to gush about the virtues of joint family at the slightest opportunity. “I have always lived in a joint family with my grandmother and aunts. Thankfully, when I got married and became part of a new family, I did not need to make any major adjustment,” says Kajol. That made her dear husband look more indulgent.
As we quizzed the former leading lady on whether she misses her busy film career, we managed to draw some quotable quotes. “Not at all. I don’t have a single dull moment. There is lot happening to keep me busy,” says Kajol. “Besides, Ajay always encourages me to work.” At this point, Devgan adds, “It is she who decides about her work.”
Even as the happy and content housewife chatted about her new life and role, we managed to get a glimpse of the carefree girl in her. She opened her make-up box, ignoring curious eyes fixed on them, and went on to apply lipstick. And that called for her husband’s intervention. “Kajol, for God’s sake, put that back,” Devgan chided her in a mock-urgent tone. Kajol obliged in no time. She surely enjoys being the obedient wife.
Bollywood : Kajol set for exciting days ahead. Kajol Devgan is all set for exciting days ahead with “ U Me aur Hum,’ a –project directed by and starring hubby Ajay Devgan and her , which will hit the screens in April and she has also signed up for Karan Johar’s next production.
Kajol and hubby Ajay are eagerly waiting for the release of U, Me aur Hum as it is his maiden directorial venture and a movie starring them as lead pair, in a long time. Whether their chemistry will light up the screen is left to conjecture.
As of now, Kajol is in high spirits due to the good reception to the music and the innovative promos of the movie. She, along with her loving hubby is all out to hype the movie further. They have used reality shows, events and magazine launches to promote the movie and the couple has been seen all over in a bid to do their bit. In fact, trade believes that U, Me Aur Hum is all set for an exciting start next month, when it hits the silver screen.
After seeing the promos, many wondered if the story was autobiographical. But the couple denied any such angle. “Ajay thought of a story and made a film. It’s as simple as that. The whole story is fictional and doesn’t have anything to do with Ajay and my love story,” said Kajol.
Kajol is on another high. She has also signed her next project titled ‘Khan/ Name is Khan’ with her costar and favorite actor, Shahrukh Khan to be directed by none other than Karan Johar. This team has two other hits behind them namely Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. Kajol herself confirmed that she has said yes to the project without seeing the script.
Sharad Kelkar made a name for himself in the small screen as Nahar in the Zee TV show, Saath Phere. Now, the handsome actor is ready to try something different. He will rub shoulders with Ajay Devgan [Images] and wife Kajol [Images] in Zee TV's reality show, Rock n Roll. The Devgans, along with Kajol's mother, Tanuja, will be the judges of the dance show while Sharad will be the host.
He tells Rajul Hegde more about Rock n Roll.
How did you get to host this show? I have anchored a low-profile show on Zee Dubai. I think the channel saw that and chose me.
How does it feel to host a big reality show like this? It is an amazing experience. I am very nervous because I have not hosted any reality show like this before. Also, the Zee Dubai show did not have any judges. But here, we have Ajay Devgan, Kajol and Tanuja who are really big stars. Kajol, Ajay Devgan and TanujaIt's challenging and will be a learning experience for me.
How does it feel to share the stage with big stars? I am from a small town -- Gwailor -- so it was a big thing meeting them. I spoke to Ajay Devgan backstage just before coming on the stage, so it was cool. But I felt very nervous with Kajol and Tanuja. I have grown up watching Tanujaji's movies, so I was very apprehensive when I met her for the first time. It is an honour for me to share the stage with such renowned film actors.
Will there will be a lot of drama like the other reality shows? I was carried away when I met an old couple. I don't have to do anything to make them cry or laugh. They will cry even if they win or lose. I am just going to have fun. You will see a different Sharad on this show.
Will it hamper your Saath Phere shooting? No. I have 10 days to shoot for Saath Phere. Reality shows like this have fixed days. I have already given them my dates.
Saath Phere was a number one show but now its popularity is waning... Sharad with wife, KeertiYes. The ratings have been dipping for the last few months probably because viewers didn't like to see Nahar and Saloni (characters in the show) separated. Now that Saloni and Nahar are back together, there has been an increase in the ratings.
Do you get time for yourself? I shoot for 22 days a month and reserve eight days for my family. I have promised my wife, Keerti, that I will take her out of Mumbai every month. I have gone to few places like Goa [Images], Kerala [Images], and Hong Kong. I hate travelling because I cannot sit for long time, thanks to my long legs.
You also participated in the singing competition show Jhoom India? How was the experience? I enjoyed the show though I was out after a few episodes. I have also decided to learn singing from the experts of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa team on Zee TV.
Rock n Roll starts on March 14, at 10pm on Zee TV.
March 11, 2008 12:15:18 PM IST Joginder Tuteja, Bollywood Trade News Network
If you thought that Kajol is the only female power in hubby Ajay Devgan's U ME AUR HUM then think again. And that's because the director-actor has roped in not one, not two but as many as four other prominent actresses in his debut directorial venture.
The females in question are Isha Sharwani, Rituparna Sengupta, Sarika and Divya Dutta. While Isha and Rituparna have been playing lead roles in their Bollywood career so far, Sarika and Divya Dutta have pretty much established themselves when it comes to strong character roles.
For Isha, U ME AUR HUM is quite an important project considering her box office turkeys like GOOD BOY BAD BOY, ROCKY - THE REBEL and DARWAZA BAND RAKHO in the recent past. On the other hand for Rituparna too, this is her biggest project till date in Bollywood since her UNNS and GAURI - THE UNBORN have been non-starters.
When it comes to men, Karan Khanna (HONEYMOON TRAVELS PVT. LTD.) and Sumeet Raghavan (seen in popular TV sitcom SARABHAI V/S SARABHAI) give Ajay Devgan some company.
Kajol and Ajay Devgan can’t seem to get enough of each other. Soon to be seen romancing on screen in U, Me Aur Hum, the husband-wife duo have quite a few endorsements in hand and are also co-judging a dance show on television. If that wasn’t enough, the two will now grace the cover of a magazine. At the launch of the issue, however, it was just Kajol talking; hubby couldn’t make it for the event. Take a look at the charming actress discussing Ajay and their projects in hand.