Ajay Devgn reflects on Bollywood’s changing masculinity, says, ‘All are boys; you don’t see men-men’

Actor Ajay Devgn recently expressed his views on the changing landscape of Bollywood, claiming that there are few actors today who embody the qualities of ‘real men’ as seen in previous generations. In an interview, the actor highlighted the difference between physicality and attitude, emphasising that true masculinity goes beyond building a muscular physique.

“In today’s world, you don't see a dominating male personality. All are boys; you don’t see men-men,” Ajay stated. He cited actors like Jackie Shroff, Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, and Sunny Deol as examples of those who exuded a strong, masculine presence on screen.

“In the earlier generation, we saw men—even in my generation, from Jackie Shroff to Amitabh Bachchan, they were all men,” he added. “When Akshay Kumar was thrashing ten people or Sunny Deol was pulling out a hand pump, we would clap because we believed they could do it. In today's generation, we don’t feel that anyone could actually do that.”

Ajay clarified that his comments weren’t directed at any specific individual but rather reflected a broader shift in the portrayal of masculinity in Bollywood. He attributed this change to differences in upbringing and a resulting change in “attitude and approach towards life.”

Ajay’s remarks have sparked a debate about the evolving definition of masculinity in Indian cinema and the factors that contribute to the portrayal of male characters on screen.

The actor recently reprised his iconic role as Bajirao Singham in Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again, the third installment in the popular cop franchise. The film, released on November 1, has been performing well at the box office worldwide. Alongside Ajay, the film features Kareena Kapoor Khan and Arjun Kapoor in lead roles, with appearances by Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Tiger Shroff, and Salman Khan reprising his role as Chulbul Pandey from the Dabangg series.

Ajay has a busy slate of upcoming projects, including Naam - The Missing Identity, Raid 2, Son of Sardaar 2, De De Pyaar De 2, and Azaad.