Ajay Devgn is one of the most bankable stars in Bollywood with Singham, Golmaal, Drishyam and now Raid and Shaitaan to his name.
His success with Raid 2 which has turned out to be his 6th highest grossing film beating Shaitaan shows that his audience still believe in his brand of realistic gritty films.
Now, in a major development, Panorama Studios has officially confirmed Drishyam 3, with Ajay Devgn set to reprise his cult role as Vijay Salgaonkar.
But with box office numbers touching the sky, a section of audience is wondering: how many times can we watch Ajay Devgn play the same kind of role before it gets stale?
Audience and critics are feeling a pattern. In Shaitaan and Raid 2, Devgn’s on screen presence, his reactions and even the moral compass of his character seems familiar.
Some have called his recent work “sleepwalking” saying he is not doing anything new or innovative.
Although the first half of Raid 2 was appreciated for its sharp dialogues and intense scenes, the second half was panned for getting into a routine and predictable pattern.
It seems the films are banking more on franchise value and Ajay’s star power than fresh storytelling and individual performances.
The challenge for Ajay Devgn from here is not only to give hits but to test himself as an actor.
Whether or not his films work is proof that his audience love his genre but actual staying power in the film industry will be through variety.
Directors and writers who work with him need to craft roles that challenge him and show his versatility.
As long as he is dominating the box office the final test will be whether he can break away from what he knows best and surprise his fans with something new.
