Claim: Ajay Devgn is an Indian citizen.

Ajay Devgan -LRB- born Vishal Veeru Devgan on 2 April 1969 -RRB- , also credited as Ajay Devgn , is an Indian film actor , director and producer . He is widely considered as one of the most popular actors of Hindi cinema , who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films . Devgan has won numerous accolades , including two National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards . In 2016 , he was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri , the fourth highest civilian honour of the country .   Devgan began his professional career with Phool Aur Kaante in 1991 and received a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for his performance . He then starred in successful films such as Jigar -LRB- 1992 -RRB- , Dilwale -LRB- 1994 -RRB- , Suhaag -LRB- 1994 -RRB- , Naajayaz -LRB- 1995 -RRB- , Diljale -LRB- 1996 -RRB- and Ishq -LRB- 1997 -RRB- . In 1998 , he appeared in a critically acclaimed performance in Mahesh Bhatt 's drama Zakhm and he received his first National Film Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie . In 1999 , his most-talked-about film was Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in which he played Vanraj , a man who tries to unite his wife with her lover .   In the early 2000s , he gave critically acclaimed performances in Ram Gopal Varma 's fictional expose of Mumbai underworld Company . He played the character of a gangster , for which he won Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor . The same year he gave another critically acclaimed performance in Deewangee for which he received the Filmfare Best Villain Award . In 2003 , he won his second National Film Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Bhagat Singh in Rajkumar Santoshi 's biopic The Legend of Bhagat Singh . Throughout his career he has performed in many critically and commercially successful films including Raincoat -LRB- 2004 -RRB- , '' Gangajal , -LRB- 2004 -RRB- , Yuva -LRB- 2004 -RRB- , Apaharan -LRB- 2005 -RRB- , Omkara -LRB- 2006 -RRB- , Golmaal : Fun Unlimited -LRB- 2006 -RRB- , Golmaal Returns -LRB- 2008 -RRB- , All the Best : Fun Begins -LRB- 2009 -RRB- , Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai -LRB- 2010 -RRB- , Golmaal 3 -LRB- 2010 -RRB- , Raajneeti -LRB- 2010 -RRB- , Singham -LRB- 2011 -RRB- , Bol Bachchan -LRB- 2012 -RRB- , Son of Sardaar -LRB- 2012 -RRB- , Singham Returns -LRB- 2014 -RRB- and Drishyam -LRB- 2015 -RRB- . He has starred in more than hundred Hindi films . Having done so , he established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema .   In addition , Devgn owns a production company Ajay Devgn FFilms which was established in 2000 . In 2008 , he debuted as a film director with U Me Aur Hum . He is married to film actress , Kajol since 1999 and the couple have two children . In August 2009 , Devgn changed his surname from Devgan to Devgn on the request of his family .