In 1991, actor Ajay Devgn entered everyone’s hearts, riding on top of two motorcycles in the film Phool Aur Kaante. Today, as the 52-year-old completes 30 years as an actor, he says he is all “warmed up for the next 30”. Excerpts...

You are right, it is herculean. Sustaining in any field for three decades needs constant evolving, and a certain level of maturity — not just in age, but also in craft. It needs constant experimenting, and learning closely from the colleagues and filmmakers you work with. It’s a never-ending process. I look back at the last three decades as one terrific journey, in which I’ve made countless mistakes and struck innumerable home runs. Either way, I am happy.

Frankly, it was my father’s (late Veeru Devgan) dream to launch me as an actor. I was just required to focus on realizing his dream. Whether I’d be successful or not is a thought I didn’t toy with at that stage. No one can enter the films planning stardom. You have to work hard and pray your destiny carries you forward. When Phool Aur Kaante became the craze it did, I was catapulted to stardom. I was immature, young, unprepared for stardom.

Kuku Kohli, my director, set out to make a volatile love story with two newcomers — Madhoo Shah and me. He picked up the best music directors of that time, Nadeem-Shravan, brought in my father for action choreography and had a stalwart like (actor) Amrish Puri, who played my father and the antagonist. So, I had to just play my part. I was raw and consumed by delivering the kind of action my father wanted.

I can’t recall the exact feeling I experienced when I stood astride those two motorcycles. However, I know it was a moment of complete madness. Three decades ago, we didn’t use body doubles and safety nets. We just went for it. It was a leap of faith.