24 September,2026 04:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Jaideep Ahlawat and Ajay Devgn. Pics via Instagram and X
Jaideep Ahlawat is set to share screen space with Ajay Devgn once again, 16 years after the two actors first worked together in Aakrosh. This time, their reunion comes with Drishyam The Conclusion, where Ahlawat plays Rajveer Singh Tomar, an SP Crime Branch officer determined to uncover the truth surrounding Vijay Salgaonkar, played by Devgn.
The upcoming film, which releases on October 2, brings the two actors together in a very different dynamic from their first collaboration. While Vijay remains determined to protect the carefully constructed world he has created for his family, Rajveer is focused on dismantling it and getting to the truth.
For Ahlawat, returning to a set with Devgn after so many years has made him reflect on how much he has changed as an actor. "It does feel like a full circle moment, but I don't think of it only in terms of the number of years that have passed," he said while speaking to Variety India.
Instead, Ahlawat sees the reunion through the lens of his own journey in the industry. "When I did Aakrosh, I was entering the industry and, honestly, I was still learning how to occupy space on a film set," Ahlawat recalled. He added that his experience and understanding of acting have evolved considerably since then.
"Today, I come to the same actor with a completely different understanding of my own craft," he said. For Jaideep Ahlawat, that makes working opposite Devgn in a story built around a clash between their characters particularly meaningful.
The actor also spoke about what he has admired in Devgn's work over the years. According to Ahlawat, one of Devgn's biggest strengths is knowing when not to overplay a moment. "What has remained remarkably consistent with Ajay sir is his economy," Ahlawat said, praising the actor's understated approach to his performances.
"He doesn't seem interested in showing the audience that he is acting. He trusts the scene. He trusts the character," he explained. Ahlawat also believes Devgn places enough faith in viewers to allow them to understand a character without spelling everything out.
In Drishyam The Conclusion, that restraint is set to be tested against Ahlawat's more investigative character as Rajveer attempts to challenge Vijay's version of events.
Directed by Abhishek Pathak, the film also stars Tabu, Shriya Saran, Rajat Kapoor, Prakash Raj, Kamlesh Sawant, Ishita Dutta and Mrunal Jadhav. Drishyam The Conclusion is set to release in cinemas on October 2.
