Sharing a self-composed poem on Instagram is how Gulshan Devaiah marked the completion of his decade-long run in the film industry. Having started his career with That Girl In Yellow Boots (2010), he has been a part of a variety of films over the years, including A Death In The Gunj (2016), Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013), and Shaitaan (2011).

“I can’t call that a poem. It was my attempt at writing and making it rhyme after I saw Gully Boy (2019). It has been like a trendsetter,” he laughs.

The 42-year-old, on a serious note, adds that he is satisfied with however things turned out for him. “I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever, every choice and decision I have taken in these 10 years. Sometimes it is still unbelievable for a person like me, who came from Bengaluru with absolutely no experience. Nobody in my family had any experience or anything to do with the entertainment business, except performing arts. Having come from there to eventually establishing a career in the Hindi film industry, I have been fortunate,” he says.

It wasn’t as if the going was easy throughout, though. The actor admits, “Yes, my heart was broken a few times. I didn’t bag few things, but you win some, lose some. That’s life.”

However, he adds in the same breath that he chooses to focus on the positives rather than the negatives. “People want to work with me, write good things about me. They showed so much love for all the work I have done. I received so much positivity. One can focus on the things they didn’t achieve, but I choose to focus on things I managed to achieve. Some people say I am an inspiration to them. It surprises me because I never intended to be that. I just wanted to do my own thing. All of this really motivates me and tells me that I am doing something right. There’s a sense of pride that I did it all on my own. At the same time, I would never deny that there is absolutely no fortune at play,” he muses.