The New Year has begun on a shaky note for the film industry and actor Ajay Devgn is hoping that things get better. “As of just a few days ago, Delhi was put on yellow alert. Other Indian states have indicated new lockdown restrictions. Sources say the Omicron variant may dampen the beginning of 2022 plans for most people around the globe. This puts all of us, including the entertainment industry, on a back foot. I just hope and pray things don’t take a turn for the worse. People’s health and pockets must not suffer,” says the 52-year-old.

The year looks busy for him, with his directorial project Runway 34 scheduled for release in April, and his much-anticipated web debut, Rudra: The Edge of Darkness, likely to release in March. He will also start shooting for a couple of projects, including Singham 3.

His film, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior remains the highest grosser for Bollywood in over two years. It released in January 2020, just when the Covid-19 scare was spreading across the world. Does he see such times coming back?

“Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior dominated the box office for two years. There are films that made massive money in the middle of the pandemic, too, so I am hopeful. I’d say another film will come and break records. S S Rajamouli’s (filmmaker) RRR shows great potential. Rohit Shetty’s (filmmaker) Sooryavanshi raked in Rs. 196 crore in the middle of a pandemic,” says the actor.

Devgn has spent over three decades in the film industry. Sharing what has kept him going all these years, the actor quips, “Exercise, cinema, family time are all inspiring. Discipline and dedication become a way of life after a point. There are things that are out of our control, like the pandemic. But, we can’t afford to be shirkers.”