Gulshan Devaiah was told by 'well-wishers' to buy second-hand BMW for 'image': Unko please karne ke liye... | Interview

Gulshan Devaiah talks to Hindustan Times about fame, perception, and authenticity in the film industry.

Given that he has been around for so long on screen, it is sometimes hard to forget that Gulshan Devaiah’s filmography is limited. Yet, the actor has managed to leave an impression in almost every film he has done. His latest release, Kantara Chapter 1, is minting money globally and has earned acclaim as well. In the ‘aftermath’ of the film’s record-breaking success, Gulshan talks to Hindustan Times about his idea of managing fame, authenticity, and more.

Gulshan Devaiah was recently seen in Kantara Chapter 1.

On authenticity on social media

In an age where film stars often portray cultivated images of themselves on social media, Gulshan remains unfiltered, responding to friends, foes, and trolls alike. The actor explains his approach, “There are self-placed filters. I want to be fun and myself like I am in this conversation. I want to crack the same jokes online and be my authentic self. That is who I am.”

He admits that he stumbled while finding his online voice, and engaged with trolls in a way that he wouldn’t now. “You say nonsense then you realise ki haan ye toh bakwas tha. Ye toh nahi kehna chahiye tha (This was nonsense, I shouldn’t have said that). But I am learning. Nobody is perfect,” says Gulshan.

On being told to work on his image

Many have described Gulshan as an underrated actor. There are hundreds of tweets saying he is ‘finally getting his due’. The actor says he takes all that as a compliment from well-meaning people. “Even if people call me underrated as a criticism, I take it positively,” he says, explaining, “For instance, well-wishers tell me I don’t monetise my career. And I get their point. It’s valid. Once somebody told me to buy a big car, a second-hand BMW or Mercedes ki thoda image banega (for the image). From their point of view, they are correct because I know how perception works in this industry. But you can’t control that. I stay as authentic as I can. Unko please karne ke liye main nahi karunga (I won’t do anything to please others).”

Gulshan’s Kantara Chapter 1 is running in theatres currently. Written and directed by Rishab Shetty, the film stars Rishab and Gulshan, apart from Rukmini Vasanth and Jayaram.