Happy Birthday Ajay Devgn: Singham Roars@46

Ajay went on to form a notable partnership with filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, resulting in several successful projects. In 2002, the drama Company earned him his second Star Screen Award for Best Actor.

Then came Rajkumar Santoshi's The Legend of Bhagat Singh which won him his second National Award for Best Actor.

In 2004, Ajay starred in several critically-acclaimed films, including Mani Ratnam's Yuva and Rituparno Ghosh's Raincoat.

In 2006, he played the title role in Vishal Bhardwaj's critically acclaimed adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello, titled Omkara. The film also featured Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan in pivotal roles.

Golmaal was Ajay Devgn's second movie to release in 2006. The comedy directed by Rohit Shetty also starred Arshad Warsi, Sharman Joshi and Tusshar Kapoor. Golmaal got positive reviews and turned out to be a surprise hit at the box office.

In 2007, Ajay was seen in Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, a remake of the classic Sholay. The film was a major failure, critically as well as commercially.

Ajay's first 2008 release, Halla Bol, was not a box office success, but his performance won praise from critics.

Ajay turned director with U, Me Aur Hum in 2008, in which he featured opposite his wife Kajol. The film received positive reviews and was moderately successful.

In 2010 came Prakash Jha's Rajneeti. A political thriller, the film saw actors like Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Manoj Bajpai, Arjun Rampal, Naseeruddin Shah and Nana Patekar in pivotal roles. Ajay's performance in the movie was well received by critics and the film was declared a blockbuster.

In the same year Milan Luthria's Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai was released and became one of the top grossers of the year 2010. Ajay was also nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance in the movie.

At the end of the year, he reunited with director Rohit Shetty for the sequel to the 2008 release, Golmaal Returns.

Ajay Devgn's 2011 film Singham, opposite Southern siren Kajal Aggarwal, earned him the Dada Saheb Phalke Award for Best Actor In Leading Role.

His comic act in 2012's Bol Bachchan was well received by the audience. A Rohit Shetty film, it grossed Rs 150 crores worldwide and was declared a blockbuster.

But 2012 ended on a bitter note when Ajay took on Yash Raj Films alleging that they had used their clout to keep his film Son Of Sardaar out of theatres in favour of their own, Jab Tak Hai Jaan starring Shah Rukh Khan. Ajay filed a complaint with the Competition Commission Of India (CCI) which refused to stay the release of Jab Tak Hai Jaan but did order an enquiry into the matter.

Directed by Ashwini Dhir, Son of Sardar, which also features Sonakshi Sinha in the lead, was a superhit at the box office.

In 2013, Sajid Khan's Himmatwala, in which Ajay Devgn starred opposite Southern siren Tamannaah Bhatia in the lead, proved to be a box office dud. His second release of the year Prakash Jha's political thriller Satyagraha, became a sleeper hit. The film also featured Amitabh Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Amrita Rao in pivotal roles.

Between the success of Singham Returns and failure of Action Jackson, 2014 was a mixed year for Ajay.

For 2015-16 Ajay Devgn has two projects in the pipeline - Shivaay - which he will also direct - and the remake of Southern hit Drishyam , reportedly co-starring Shriya Saran.

This image was posted on Twitter by Ajay Devgn

We wish Ajay a very happy birthday!