India, Aug. 5 -- Ammy Virk, who recently completed a decade as an actor, says, "Ab senior si feeling aa rahi hai". Grateful for the love, the 33-year-old, who began his career as a singer, shares singer-actor Kishore Kumar inspired him to try acting. Reflecting on his 10 years in the industry, Ammy takes pride in his box office success. "You need your first few films to do well to mark your footing, and thankfully, mine did. Other than back-to-back hits, even today, my success ratio is 80-85%, which is rare. I have grown steadily and even ventured into films not typically linked with Punjabi cinema," he shares. Alongside stars like Diljit Dosanjh and Ammy, Punjabi artistes have found a pan-India presence and are thriving in Bollywood. Ask Ammy about this shift and he says: "Now we are being approached to play heroes and not just a Sardar in Bollywood. Till a decade or so ago, Sardars were used in Hindi films just for comedy or gags. We questioned why that was the only image shown. Over time, makers realised the potential of Punjabi stars and started casting real Sardars, which brings authenticity." He points to Animal (2023) as an example: "Vanga (director Sandeep Reddy Vanga) sahab cast actors from Punjab as (actor) Ranbir Kapoor's cousins. Today's writers and directors don't think the way typical Bollywood used to. They are vying to get as close to reality. They also want ki aise characters se us region ki khushboo aaye." Unlike Punjabi, Ammy's Hindi films haven't been hits. Bhuj: The Pride Of India (2020) and '83 (2021), underperformed, and his latest releases, Bad Newz and Khel Khel Mein (both 2024), were average. Yet, he remains confident: "The Mumbai industry knows my calibre and potential. The timing of my releases was dicey, but if given a chance, I will prove myself. Film success fluctuates, but an artiste's talent doesn't. Bas rate upar neeche ho jata hai."...