'Ajay Devgan is a chilled out guy'
That long name need not pose problems because Aditya Singh Rajput is better known by his nickname Addy in Bollywood and among Mumbai's modelling fraternity. This boy with a funky hairdo who made his presence felt as Urmila Matondkar's forever-confused brother in Jahnu Barua's Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara, is now doing an important role in Ajay Devgan's U Me Aur Hum. Shoma A Chatterji talks to this promising actor
Let's hear it from the beginning.
I'm Punjabi from Delhi and I began modelling while I was in school. The turning point came with an all-India screen test judged by Mahesh Bhatt and Raj Kaushal for a Hero Honda ad that put me together with Saurav Ganguly and Hrithik Roshan. But even before that, I did a music video with my weird haircut for Harbhajan Singh with Vaibhavi Merchant directing it. In fact, I had done around 70 commercials before Jahnu Barua chose me for Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara.
And how did Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara happen?
It just happened because of the endorsements. It was a big challenge for me as it was my first film. The character was that of a funky, brash young boy, self-centred to a fault and yet puzzled about what is happening to his father and the rest of the family. It got me the right kind of recognition for a newcomer.
What role are you playing in U Me Aur Hum?
It is a small but a very special cameo with the MP3 model Hazel cast opposite me in the film. I'm not supposed to talk about the story or my character until the film is released. Let us just say that if you miss the beginning and the end of the film you will have missed me completely. Suffice to say that the film is in flashback and I'm part of the present, but now please do not go on to add two and two to make five! U Me Aur Hum is a film with many layers and the title is metaphorical. I consider it a great honour to have been able to work with my favourite actors, Ajay Sir and Kajol Ma'am at the beginning of my career.
