Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn is gearing up for the release of yet another franchise installment, Dhamaal 4. At the film’s trailer launch event on Friday, the actor opened up about the growing popularity of sequels in Bollywood and why audiences continue to connect with familiar franchises. He also spoke candidly about the pressure of box-office expectations, admitting that despite decades in the industry, he still feels nervous before every release.
Ajay Devgn admits feeling box office pressure before every release
While interacting with the media at the trailer launch, Ajay was asked whether he still experiences box-office pressure ahead of a film’s release. Responding to the question, he said, “Thoda bahut toh rehta hai. Aapne itni mehnat ki hai toh film audience ko pasand aani chahiye aur chalni chahiye. Toh koshish toh yahi rehti hai ki film aisi banaye ki logon ko pasand aaye. Toh jab film release ho rahi hoti hai toh thoda pressure mein sab hi aate hain (There is always a little bit of pressure. When you have worked so hard on a film, you naturally want the audience to like it and for it to do well. The effort is always to make a film that people will enjoy. So when the film is about to be released, everyone feels a certain amount of pressure).”
Ajay also spoke about the factors that contribute to the success of a sequel. He said, “I think sequel tabhi work karta hai jab uske characters logon ko pasand aajaye. Chahe yeh (Dhamaal 4) le lijiye, Golmaal le lijiye. Woh characters ko naam se jaante hain. Ek baar characters ke saath audience jud jaati hai na toh we can take the story forward (I think a sequel works only when the audience connects with and likes its characters. Whether it’s this franchise or something like Golmaal, people know those characters by name. Once the audience forms a bond with the characters, we can continue taking the story forward).”
About Dhamaal 4
Helmed by Indra Kumar, Dhamaal 4 stars Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi and Jaaved Jaaferi, alongside Upendra, Esha Gupta, Ravi Kishan, Sanjay Mishra, Sanjeeda Shaikh and Anjali Dinesh Anand in pivotal roles. The trailer shows Ajay and the gang embarking on another chaotic treasure hunt packed with comedy and misadventures.
The Dhamaal franchise began with the release of Dhamaal in 2007. Its sequel, Double Dhamaal, arrived in 2011 and continued the story of the original characters. The third instalment, Total Dhamaal, introduced Ajay Devgn to the franchise. All three films emerged as commercial successes, and now the fourth instalment is scheduled to hit theatres on July 10.