Ajinkya Deo is entering a phase in his career where strong, layered and high-impact roles are coming to him one after another. Speaking exclusively to Moneycontrol about whether he had been waiting for roles like Ramayana, the actor explained that timing has been everything.
Reflecting on the journey that brought him here, he said, "So I think I deserve it now and I feel I'm ready for it now. There is an age for every role. There is a time for everything. And if that thing happens at that time, then it is the best thing that can happen to you. Neither before nor after. So I am very grateful to God and my parents' blessings are behind me that I, at that time, when I may not have the ability to do all these characters, they did not come to me. And today I think I'm ready for all these strong roles, powerful roles. And I feel the audience also likes me in these roles now. So, yeah, a lot of things are happening now and I consider myself very, very fortunate."
His most talked-about transformation is undoubtedly for Ramayana, where he plays the revered sage Vishwamitra. The scale of the film, the expectations attached to it and the responsibility of portraying a key mythological figure all contributed to making this one of the biggest projects of his career. Describing his look and experience, Deo shared, "First of all, it is bare-bodied. I mean, the look is fascinating and fantastic look. When I saw myself in that look, I was myself, extremely in love with me. But having said that, I think it has been one of the best things in my life to do Ramayana. And 120 Bahadur, of course. But Ramayana is huge and it's one of the biggest films I think Bollywood would ever make. And with a fantastic cast, a fantastic director and a super producer like Namit Malhotra behind it with prime focus. So to be a part of that and that too a principal part of it like Vishwamitra is an honor and a blessing. So I couldn't have asked for more in life. But when I saw the portions, it is fabulous. And I liked my look and the grandeur that the film looks like, you know. So Nitesh, of course, is fantastic. And I think it was wonderful. All along, great experience. And I mean, what can I ask for more?"
Along with the magnitude of the role, the collaboration with Ranbir Kapoor has also generated attention. Deo was quick to deflect praise and maintain his humility, but his admiration for Ranbir was unmistakable. Recalling their time together, he said, "I am no superstar. But yeah, Ranbir is so down-to-earth and such a fantastic human being. I had said this earlier as well. Clean-hearted person. I mean, what more can I say that no filters, completely transparent. And I think this is what reaches people because they can see you directly on the screen. If you put filters in between, they see through the filters. He's a very clean, lovely human being. Very lovable human and no airs at all. I was very impressed when I worked with him for the first shot. It was as if I know him for the longest of times. So that's the beauty of being modest and being, I mean, from the Kapoor clan. He's one of those, you know, who has been the first of a family of this industry. Yeah, so but very creditable and extremely good. So I've been really blessed with my co-actors, all of them being big names, stalwarts and big. Their behavior, their modesty, everything comes across very strongly."
With 120 Bahadur, Ramayana and several upcoming projects, Ajinkya Deo appears to be in a defining chapter of his career — one where everything he has learned over the years is meeting the kind of roles he always felt ready to grow into.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
