'Ajay Devgn always wanted to be a director': Rohit Shetty at Runway 34 trailer launch

Rohit Shetty claimed on Monday that Ajay Devgn's first love was direction and that he had always wanted to be a director. He also lauded the actor for his in-depth understanding of filmmaking techniques.

The Golmaal director, speaking on the occasion of the trailer premiere of Runway 34, directed by Ajay, said it may come as a surprise, but Ajay has always wanted to be a director since Shetty first met him. The filmmaker further said that Ajay's technical skills as a director are unrivalled, as evidenced by his work on Runway 34, in which he shot with ten to thirteen cameras in a cockpit. Shetty said that it's not simple to shoot with large equipment in such a small space.

He went on to say that Ajay is also the film's producer, in addition to acting and directing. And believe Shetty when he says that if the actor believes in the screenplay, he will go all out. As Shetty has seen with Raju Chacha, which was shot on a budget of Rs 38 crore at a period when most Bollywood films cost Rs 7-8 crore, Ajay won't hold back when it comes to spending on the film.

While Ajay and Rohit have collaborated frequently, the two have also been childhood friends, with both of their fathers working in the Hindi major action genre.

When Ajay decides to direct a film, he says he looks for tough subjects that interest him as a filmmaker. He made his directorial debut with the drama U Me Aur Hum in 2008, followed by the action film Shivaay in 2016.

Meanwhile, he is gearing up for the release of Runway 34, which also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Rakul Preet Singh, Boman Irani, Akanksha Singh, and Angira Dhar in pivotal roles. The edge-of-the-seat thriller is slated for release on April 29, 2022.