Ajay Devgn is coming up with his magnum opus, Shivaay and he talks enthusiastically about his passion project which will release this Deepavali.
What is the significance of the title, Shivaay?
Shivaay is the name of my character, a mountaineer. He is a Shiv bhakt. When required he becomes a destroyer.
What are the reactions based on the trailer?
The reactions are same all over. I am extremely happy because this is the buzz not just in India but also abroad. Recently, in the US I met a few foreign technicians and directors and they were talking about it. They found the action outstanding. This is gratifying.
Were you able to keep the film within budget?
We have shot for 105 days and 50% of it has been action. But we were able to stay within the budget because we planned it well. People are saying that the film looks like a `150-160 crore affair. That’s not true. Generally, half of a film’s budget goes to the actor, director and other artistes, but here I have put all the money into production. There is no load on distributors either.
What went into making Shivaay.
My entire team was so inspired. Otherwise, you can’t even imagine making a film in minus 25-30 degrees in places where even food can’t be reached. It was tough for the unit to reach the location and still they all stood by me throughout. It was my passion but they could have just given up. Butthey did’nt.
How big was your crew?
There were around 350 people at all times ... even in the mountains. If you have to just shoot a song in the mountains then you can go with a crew of 60-70 people. But we had to shoot action and there was a lot of cable work and coordination needed. There were even more people on the road because we had so many cars in motion in every shot. As you can see, there are cars at every nook and corner of streets, so we had to deploy people to ensure that the scenes go off smoothly.
Is it an action film?
At the core of it, Shivaay is an emotional drama. It has action but there is a connect with the characters You will see some of the best performances from everyone in the film