Gulshan Devaiah recalls weeping after Irrfan’s death, says he ‘didn’t know’ he liked the actor so much

Gulshan Devaiah says Irrfan Khan was a major influence on his acting, but insists he never tried to copy him.

From playing a menacing villain in Guns & Gulaabs to a caring partner in Badhaai Do, Gulshan Devaiah has shown his versatility as an actor. Yet, across the many characters he has played, there is a certain stillness in his performances that brings to mind the late Irrfan. In an exclusive interaction with Hindustan Times, Gulshan opened up about how the legendary actor influenced his craft, admitting that while he has consciously and subconsciously picked up aspects of Irrfan’s acting, he has never tried to imitate him.

Gulshan Devaiah spoke about Irrfan’s influence on his acting.

'Irrfan has been a huge influence on me'

When asked whether Irrfan had influenced his acting, Gulshan said, “Absolutely, both consciously and subconsciously. I never try to copy him, but Irrfan was a huge influence on me throughout my career. Since I didn't go to drama school, I learned acting by observing great performers. However, I was very conscious that I didn't want to copy anyone — whether Irrfan, Manoj Bajpayee, Daniel Day-Lewis, Robert De Niro, or Kate Winslet. And that's how I learned.”

'Irrfan wasn't as good-looking as Hrithik Roshan but he would draw attention'

Gulshan also spoke about the uniqueness of Irrfan’s performances and how, despite not fitting the conventional mould of a leading man, the actor had an undeniable ability to draw audiences towards him.

He said, “Irrfan had this quality that you didn't know what he would do next, and many times he didn't do much; he would hold back. Genetically, he had those big, god-gifted eyes that held your attention even when he was doing very little on screen. He used them really well. Sometimes he would deliver lines without even looking at his co-actor. He was doing things that were really different. He would deliver dialogues differently, yet there was this magnetic attraction to him, and one wouldn’t say that he was not as good-looking as Hrithik Roshan or Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan, but somehow he would draw attention. So certainly, he was one of the greatest influences among many actors.”

'I cried hearing about his death'

While Gulshan closely observed Irrfan’s performances to hone his own acting skills, he had not realised just how deeply connected he felt to the actor until he heard of his death. Recalling his reaction to the news, Gulshan said, “I remember weeping on the phone with my mother when the news broke. He was truly a one-of-a-kind actor. This is why his death, not only for me, but for millions of people, felt very personal, like a family member has passed away. I was talking to my mother and weeping, and my mother was like ‘I didn’t know you liked him so much’, and I was like, ‘Yeah, neither did I.’”

Gulshan is currently gearing up for the release of his next film, Little Thomas, which follows a curious young boy who desperately wants a sibling. Directed by Kaushal Oza, the film is set to release on October 23.