ACTOR Ajay Devgn, who has made a mark in commercial as well as critically acclaimed movies, counts his survival in Bollywood, where competition has intensified over the years, for over two decades as his biggest achievement.
"I think six to seven actors including me have survived here since 20 years and this is a big achievement. It speaks about our place and position in the industry and in the hearts of the audience," Devgn said.
Devgn, 43, started his career as a child actor in Pyari Behna (1985) and six years later, entered the industry with a lead role in Phool Aur Kaante.
He then went on to star in commercially successful films such as Diljale, Company, Yuva, Omkara, Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, Raajneeti and Singham.
Initially considered an intense actor, Devgn later also acted in hit comic films such as the Golmaal series, Bol Bachchan and Son of Sardaar.
His first national film award for best actor came for his role in Mahesh Bhatt’s Zakhm. He was awarded for a second time for his portrayal of Bhagat Singh in Rajkumar Santoshi’s biopic The Legend of Bhagat Singh.
Devgn has not only managed to survive in the industry but has also thrived and cemented his place alongside his contemporaries such as Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, all of whom started their career around the same time.
However, the versatile actor did not have a smooth ride and his career saw many ups and downs. He has had his share of not so successful films , but has always managed to bounce back and deliver hits.
"I don’t look at highlights of my career. I am happy to be in the industry for so long and will continue to be here," Devgn said.
The popular star has several interesting projects lined up for release. These include Sajid Khan’s remake of 1980s hit Himmatwala, Prakash Jha’s Satyagraha (reportedly based on the Anna Hazare movement) and Rohit Shetty’s masala entertainer Singham 2.
