Meaty roles are for men not kids, says Ajay Devgn

Mumbai: After being in films for over 20 years and making his mark in the elite Rs 100 crore club with full-fledged masala entertainers, actor Ajay Devgn feels that meaty roles are still meant for industry veterans and the younger lot does not fit the bill.

Big stars like Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar and Ajay, who are in their 40s are still calling the shots in Bollywood and the industry depends on them when it comes to box office. There are hardly any actors who have managed to challenge their supremacy to which Ajay says, "There is no success mantra as to why we all are still liked and doing well. I think when the audience accepts one actor it is for life, till you stop working. The kind of films that have worked well at the box office in the recent past you can`t cast boys in it." "Be it `Dabangg`, `Rowdy Rathore`,`Singham`... You can`t take a boy as it won`t to do justice to the film and the role. Like boys can do romance and all but eventually they grow to be men. The boys (young actors) are just beginning. Everything is about maturity and being a man.. Heroism is being a man," Ajay told reporters. "We have to choose roles depending on the age. We can`t do college, romantic hero kind of a film today. No one will come to me with this kind of role and neither will I accept it. Meaty roles are for men and not for kids," he said. Ajay first faced camera as a child actor in `Pyari Behna` in 1985 and six years later entered the industry with a lead role in `Phool Aur Kaante`. He went on to deliver memorable performances in films like `Diljale`, `Zakhm`, `Company`, `The Legend of Bhagat Singh`, `Yuva`, `Omkara`, `Once Upon a Time in Mumbai`, `Raajneeti` and `Singham` among others. He experimented with masala films successfully and gave hits in `Golmaal` series besides the recent `Son of Sardar`. "The journey has been comfortable so far. I did not force myself to do anything. I feel lucky to have got right scripts and to work with right directors and important thing is that these films were accepted by the audience," the 43-year-old said. Ajay will be seen next in Sajid Khan`s remake version of `Himmatwala`. "There are some stories that are so good that people want to tell them again in their own way. Today so many films are getting remade not only here but in Hollywood as well," he said. The original film had Jeetendra and Sridevi in the lead, while the remake version will have Ajay and south actress Tamannah. "The character that I play has been changed. Like in the original film, the hero was an engineer while I play a street fighter. The attitude changes completely," Ajay said. "We are hoping the audience like the film, they enjoy and accept it," he said. PTI