Gulshan Devaiah is one of Bollywood's most versatile actors, known for his unique roles in films like Shaitaan and Hunterrr. He’s also making a mark on OTT with series such as Dahaad, Guns & Gulabs, and Bad Cops. In a recent interview with Lehren Retro, Gulshan discussed his career, his work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and why he took on the role in Hunterrr. Check out this intriguing conversation with the Ulajh actor.
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00:00What am I doing in Shahrukh Khan's house?
00:02What should I do? I shouldn't be here.
00:04I am very uncomfortable here.
00:06And I wear that Tabiz-Babiz.
00:08How do I look?
00:10I did a very bad Sanjay Dutt's acting.
00:14So I improvised his Baba.
00:17After Shaitaan, the same type of roles were being offered.
00:20So I thought this is a little different for me.
00:22And it's in the comedy zone.
00:24I didn't think of adult fadal.
00:26I thought this is a very middle class world.
00:30I am feeling good.
00:31This is going to be an Amol Palekar type of film.
00:33Which was known for that type of films.
00:35No, there are different types of shoots.
00:38Double roles can be a little challenging.
00:40But as far as performance is concerned,
00:42I have never found it challenging.
00:44It happens in both.
00:45In action scenes, you have to get hurt.
00:48And in romantic scenes,
00:51you have to maintain respect and dignity.
00:54There is a boundary.
00:55You can't cross that.
01:07Namaskar, I am Rehan Hussain.
01:08And you are watching Lehren.
01:10Right now, we have with us,
01:12a film actor who makes a place in people's hearts
01:14through his acting,
01:16Gul Shandevaiah.
01:18Sir, welcome.
01:20Thank you very much.
01:21Let's start with the recently released film,
01:23Ulaj.
01:24How was the chemistry and
01:26how was the shooting experience?
01:28It was good.
01:29The chemistry was good.
01:30The chemistry on the screen was amazing.
01:32The film, like the box office,
01:35the report of the critics is not good.
01:39But still, your acting and
01:41Jhanvi Kapoor's,
01:42has been praised a lot.
01:43I think everyone's performance
01:45has been praised.
01:46But the audience is not liking it.
01:48That's why they are not watching the film.
01:51We did a good publicity.
01:53It's not a big release.
01:54It's not a big release compared to
01:56the other films that have been released.
01:58But this hit-flop keeps on going in our life.
02:01What the audience will like,
02:02what they won't like,
02:03it's difficult to say exactly.
02:07You just have to do your work
02:09with honesty and passion.
02:11There is a little disappointment
02:13when the performance is not good
02:14at the box office.
02:15These days, there are talks of 100 crores
02:17or 1000 crores.
02:18The film doesn't come to that level.
02:20So, there is disappointment.
02:22I don't have that much disappointment.
02:24I am used to it now.
02:26I am used to it now.
02:29No, I don't have that much disappointment.
02:32To a certain extent, I know
02:34that the money of the producers
02:35won't be wasted.
02:36They will get what they have spent.
02:40There was a time when people
02:42used to put a lot of price on it.
02:44That's not the case now.
02:46There is a little disappointment.
02:48I am a little experienced now.
02:50I have been working for 13 years now.
02:53So, I am not much result-oriented.
02:55I am not actually result-oriented.
02:57If the performance is good,
02:59then it's good.
03:01But I don't have that much disappointment.
03:03Should I have?
03:05There is a little disappointment.
03:07We have worked so hard.
03:09It's not about hard work.
03:11Everyone works hard.
03:13There are people who work
03:16very hard.
03:18Jhanvi Kapoor herself is a very hard-working actor.
03:20She is very hard-working.
03:22A lot of people work hard.
03:24But sometimes we can't tell
03:26how the audience will feel.
03:28We can't guess it.
03:30The more we are affected by this
03:32that we don't like it,
03:34we are sad,
03:36I think I will lose my mind.
03:38I don't want to lose my mind.
03:40My focus should always be on my work.
03:43How can I do this work professionally?
03:47What can I learn?
03:49What can I bring?
03:51What environment can I create for people?
03:54And how much better can I do it
03:56than my previous film?
03:58This is my effort.
04:00If the film becomes a super hit,
04:02then it's very good.
04:04If no one has seen it,
04:06then it happens.
04:08It has always been difficult.
04:10A lot of films used to release in a year.
04:12Not all the films used to be a hit.
04:14But there was not much discussion
04:16about the flop.
04:18But now there is social media.
04:20Now not even one actor
04:22gets so many films in 2-3 years.
04:24The big star actors
04:26get 1-2 films in 2-3 years.
04:28So the parameters
04:32that are discussed
04:34have also changed.
04:36Earlier it was Silver Jubilee, Diamond Jubilee.
04:38Now in the first 3 days
04:40they tell the audience
04:42about the flop.
04:46So how do you see
04:48this change in the film?
04:50Earlier the parameters
04:52were different.
04:54Now it's different.
04:56The financial performance
04:58of the film
05:00is given a lot of importance.
05:02The audience also watches
05:04the opening of the film.
05:06They don't understand
05:08the business of the film.
05:10How many screens are there?
05:12What is the cost?
05:14Even the trade analysts
05:16don't know the exact cost.
05:18What are the screen sizes?
05:20The film was released in 850 screens.
05:22And for 2500 screens
05:24there is a lot of expense.
05:26The bigger the screen size,
05:28the more you have to earn.
05:30The budget of the film
05:32also has to be earned.
05:34But all the earnings
05:36don't come from the box office.
05:38It has changed since the satellite era.
05:40After the arrival of the corporates,
05:42there were a lot of changes in the business.
05:44How can an intellectual property
05:46be monetized?
05:48They found new ways.
05:50Usually the producers
05:52don't face such a big loss.
05:54Most of the money
05:56they have invested, they will get it.
05:58It's not like it happens with every film.
06:00There are losses.
06:02We had to face a lot of losses
06:04with a couple of recent films.
06:06But they were very expensive films.
06:08Our films are not that expensive.
06:10You are known for
06:12making different types of films.
06:14You have a diversity in your role.
06:16Similarly, Janhavi Kapoor
06:18is also making different types of films.
06:20They are not big films,
06:22but they are of different genres.
06:24For example, her film Mili
06:26was released.
06:28The work you do with Janhavi Kapoor
06:30is very good.
06:32What is good about Janhavi Kapoor?
06:34She works very hard.
06:36I don't work that hard.
06:38I don't work that hard in my life.
06:40She works hard
06:42for her work
06:44and also for her career.
06:48Whenever I see hardworking people,
06:50I get inspired by them.
06:52I also want to work that hard.
06:54If not that hard,
06:56I want to go a little closer.
06:58She is not lazy.
07:00She is not lazy at all.
07:02I really liked that about her.
07:04I will try to learn from her.
07:08When you get an offer
07:10for a role in a film,
07:12how do you select it?
07:14Take this film for example.
07:16It is a spy thriller film.
07:18You have played the role of an ISI agent.
07:20What are the preparations
07:22required for that role?
07:24What is going on in your mind?
07:26There are two things
07:28that matter the most.
07:30First, do I have a genuine interest
07:32in playing this role?
07:34I should have an inner voice
07:36that I want to play this role.
07:38Second, will this project be good
07:40for my career or not?
07:42These two things matter.
07:44Then comes the director's vision,
07:46who are the co-actors,
07:48etc.
07:50Preparation
07:54depends on the role.
07:56For example, this role of Ullaj
07:58was a little complicated.
08:00I don't know if you have seen the film.
08:02It is not that straightforward.
08:04In one scene, it looks the same.
08:06In the other, it changes.
08:08The way of speaking, the clothes,
08:10the names change.
08:12It is not that straightforward.
08:14I thought I should prepare a little.
08:16I had made some notes
08:18along with the director.
08:20Sudhanshu is a director
08:22who gives you a lot of time.
08:24We used to sit and talk for hours.
08:26Many times, Jani Bibi used to be a part of it.
08:28We did rehearsals
08:30between the two of us.
08:32We rehearsed almost all the scenes.
08:34We used to try some ideas.
08:36We kept what worked and left
08:38what didn't work.
08:40We had some new ideas
08:42from the director.
08:44We incorporated them.
08:46Usually, I take pre-production very seriously.
08:48Whether it is a 2-day or 2-month pre-production.
08:50For some projects,
08:52I have to give more time.
08:54For example, I did a series called The Heart.
08:56I had a lot of time for that.
08:58I don't have a lot of pain.
09:00It was a 4-month pre-production.
09:02So, I felt
09:04I had 1-1.5 months for Ullaj.
09:06I had that much time.
09:08It doesn't mean I worked every day.
09:10But it was 1-1.5 months before shooting.
09:12In that,
09:14we must have worked for 15-16 days.
09:16With the director,
09:18alone or with Jhanvi.
09:20So, you have to give time.
09:22I believe I enjoy pre-production a lot.
09:24This is the process
09:26where you lay the foundation.
09:28Once you reach the set,
09:30you have to understand
09:32that the camera is here,
09:34the light is here,
09:36this is your mark.
09:38It becomes technical.
09:40Even if you didn't
09:42write the script,
09:44that's fine.
09:46But you have to know
09:48who the character is.
09:50Even if you change the scene,
09:52it doesn't bother me much.
09:54Because if my preparation is solid,
09:56I know who this person is.
09:58How will he behave in such an environment?
10:02A song of the film,
10:04Shaukans, was promoted a lot.
10:06People liked it.
10:08Do you have anything to say about that?
10:10That was shot later.
10:12It wasn't shot earlier.
10:14They felt that there should be
10:16a song in the track of me and Jhanvi.
10:18There was a song earlier,
10:20but the footage that we shot,
10:22the director suggested some changes.
10:24He suggested that we should
10:26do it for 2-3 more days.
10:28By then, I had lost my beard.
10:30Then I thought, how will it happen?
10:32Then I started growing my beard.
10:34But I got some time
10:36to grow my beard.
10:38My beard grows very slowly.
10:40So I grew my beard again
10:42and set a 2-day schedule.
10:44I did some patchwork shoots.
10:46The majority portion of Shaukans
10:48was reshooted in patchwork.
10:52Along with films,
10:54you also do series.
10:56You did a double role
10:58in the film,
11:00Kaup Bhi Aayi Uljan Se Pehle.
11:02You have done double roles
11:04How do you prepare for it?
11:06Do both the scenes
11:08shoot together or separately?
11:10How do you prepare?
11:12They shoot together or separately.
11:14A double role can be challenging.
11:16But I have never found it challenging
11:18in terms of performance.
11:20Technically, it can be challenging.
11:22For example,
11:24you and I are doing a scene.
11:26You will play your role and I will play mine.
11:28But if I am doing a scene with myself,
11:30then I have to do both.
11:32Sometimes you choose
11:34which one to do first.
11:36Sometimes the director decides
11:38which one to do first.
11:42So you get a tennis ball with you.
11:46Or an assistant from the direction team.
11:50Or a stuntman in my situation.
11:52So there are some shortcomings.
11:54An actor can't give
11:56the same performance.
11:58So there is a problem.
12:00I have to imagine
12:02how I will give my response.
12:04Because you won't get it from the front.
12:06Usually, they stand there
12:08and give their cues.
12:10So you have to get used to it.
12:12Because what you get from the other actor
12:14to give a response
12:16you won't get it.
12:18You have to imagine it.
12:20Sometimes it happens
12:22that they put a stand
12:24and a tennis ball on it
12:26or stick some tape on the paper.
12:28This is your eyeline.
12:30So you have to hold it.
12:32It is technically challenging.
12:34Especially when you have to run
12:36and you have to cross.
12:38In such scenes,
12:40you have to hit the marks.
12:42If you miss a little,
12:44then the overlap
12:46won't be even.
12:50In Bad Cop,
12:52I had to explain to the stuntman
12:54who was running with me
12:56that my character won't run like this.
12:58It will run like this.
13:00So I had to explain to him
13:02that even if he is not in the background
13:04or in focus,
13:06his running style is different.
13:08So I had to show him
13:10that my character will run like this.
13:12So these are the challenges.
13:14Performance is not so challenging.
13:16It takes time to manage technical things.
13:18If we talk about Police Cop,
13:20you played a very powerful role in Dahan.
13:22I think Dahan is one of the best
13:24that people liked a lot.
13:26You and Sonakshi Sinha
13:28did a good job.
13:30The whole team did a good job.
13:32So the background of Dahan was Rajasthan.
13:34It was a social drama series.
13:36So how did you prepare
13:38for Rajasthan's diction?
13:40I met a trainer.
13:42He was one of ours.
13:44He also did acting.
13:48I must have done
13:5028 sessions with him.
13:52He was
13:54contracted by
13:56Tiger Baby.
13:58I used to call him home.
14:00I used to tell him
14:02that he has more time.
14:04So we used to sit with him
14:06and read the script.
14:08Then he used to correct
14:10some things.
14:12We went to Rajasthan
14:14before starting the shooting.
14:16I had a driver
14:18whose voice
14:20should be
14:22incorporated.
14:24So I incorporated him.
14:26But his voice was
14:28very suppressed.
14:30So Reema said that his voice
14:32should be increased.
14:34So I increased the volume.
14:36But yes,
14:38he was a direct coach.
14:40He was always on set.
14:42There were 2-3 people
14:44but he used to
14:46keep an eye on everything.
14:48If there was a mistake
14:50in the pronunciation,
14:52he used to come
14:54and correct it.
14:56How was working with Sonakshi?
14:58She is a star kid.
15:00How was it?
15:02It was great.
15:04We used to chat a lot.
15:06She is an athlete.
15:08We used to play volleyball
15:10and badminton.
15:12There was a friendly atmosphere
15:14outside the shoot.
15:16We used to have dinner together.
15:18Everyone used to eat together.
15:20She used to hang out with us.
15:22When there was a day off,
15:24we used to party.
15:26We used to sing and dance.
15:28She used to hang out with everyone.
15:30She had a very friendly atmosphere.
15:34It was very easy to work with her.
15:36It was never like
15:38we can't say this
15:40or we can't do that.
15:42There were some suggestions
15:44that it would be easy
15:46for me to work with her.
15:48She used to agree.
15:50If we talk about your early days,
15:52you did a graduation from NIFT.
15:54You stayed in the fashion industry
15:56for 10 years.
15:58Why did you come to Bollywood
16:00so late?
16:02I didn't have confidence.
16:04I didn't know how to approach.
16:06I wasn't prepared.
16:08I studied fashion
16:10and I had the same experience.
16:12I didn't learn acting
16:14because I didn't go to a drama school.
16:16I learned while doing it.
16:18I learned while watching people.
16:20I started talking to people
16:22and asked questions.
16:24I used to learn from actors and directors.
16:26It took time to get ready.
16:28I felt that
16:30the time had come
16:32to get good feedback
16:34from people about my performance
16:36and my roles.
16:38Did you continue acting?
16:40Yes, I used to.
16:42I used to do 3-4 plays a year.
16:44It started increasing.
16:46I used to get small roles
16:48and then I got bigger roles.
16:50Then I started getting big main roles.
16:52You feel that the directors trust you.
16:54You are getting a big role.
16:56And the audience
16:58used to come to Bangalore
17:00to see big actors.
17:02I got a good response from them.
17:04When people praise you,
17:06you feel that
17:08you are doing the right thing.
17:10I got confidence
17:12around 2006.
17:14I felt that
17:16I can do it.
17:18I came to Bombay in 2006.
17:20We had a play at Prithvi Theatre Festival.
17:22It was called
17:24Butter and Mash.
17:26It was the theme of the year
17:28in Kala Desh Ki Seva.
17:30It was a similar play.
17:32We had 2 shows.
17:34It went well and I got a lot of praise for it.
17:36Even then I felt
17:38that the audience
17:40and theatre festival
17:42has a lot of famous people
17:44who come to see the play.
17:46When I get a good response from them
17:48I feel that I have understood the craft.
17:50I have something
17:52that I can show.
17:54By then I was 30.
17:56The first film
17:58that you released
18:00was That Girl in Yellow Boots.
18:02The first film that was released
18:04was Dum Marudam.
18:06We had shown That Girl in Yellow Boots
18:08in Venice and Toronto.
18:10We had not shown it in India.
18:12It was the 3rd release in India.
18:14It was released in September 2011.
18:16It was released in June
18:18and in April it was Dum Marudam.
18:20So technically,
18:22my first release in India was Dum Marudam.
18:24But my first film
18:26was That Girl in Yellow Boots.
18:28How did you get the offer?
18:30It was not a straightforward audition.
18:32Kalki and Anuraag called me
18:34one day.
18:36After coming here,
18:38Kalki became my friend.
18:40She knew a lot of my friends
18:42and she belonged to the play.
18:44Through Kalki,
18:46I got to know Anuraag.
18:48One day,
18:50I was wandering
18:52on J.P. Road.
18:54They called me.
18:56They were having lunch at a restaurant.
18:58They called me for lunch
19:00I knew about it
19:02because Kalki told me about it.
19:04One of my friends was doing the music
19:06and the other friend was opposite Kalki.
19:08Prashant Prakash was doing the role.
19:10He said,
19:12there is a character.
19:14We want you to do it.
19:16He gave me the brief.
19:18Anuraag told me to take 2-3 days
19:20and then show me the film.
19:22It was not a straightforward audition.
19:24But they saw it.
19:26A straightforward audition is
19:28not a straightforward audition.
19:30But they saw it live.
19:32I had 3 days to prepare.
19:34Since Kalki was my friend,
19:36I told her
19:38that I will rehearse with her.
19:40It was not a scene.
19:42It was a situation.
19:44We had to improvise everything.
19:46I also asked my friend,
19:48who was the theatre director,
19:50to give me feedback.
19:52We did it 1-2 hours before Anuraag came.
19:54He gave good feedback.
19:56When Anuraag saw it,
19:58he liked it.
20:00He wrote the scene.
20:02How did you meet Anuraag sir?
20:04Were you good friends?
20:06Kalki was not married.
20:08But they were together.
20:10During that time,
20:12he was doing a screening
20:14of 5 films.
20:16He used to do screening
20:18for people.
20:20He did a special screening
20:22in Fun Republic.
20:24I told Kalki to call
20:26all his friends.
20:28We all went to meet him.
20:30We met for the first time
20:32in Fun Republic.
20:34We were watching a film.
20:36We were talking to each other.
20:38We used to listen to each other.
20:40Do you consider Anuraag sir
20:42to be a good filmmaker?
20:44Or an actor?
20:46He has acted in many films.
20:48He recently released a film
20:50with Vijay Sethupathi.
20:52I haven't seen it.
20:54But I heard he did a good job.
20:56He did a good job in Bad Cop.
20:58I think he understands the craft.
21:00If he wanted,
21:02he could have become a good actor.
21:04But I think he is a better filmmaker.
21:06He is a storyteller.
21:08He wants to tell stories.
21:10He has done a play with Makran sir.
21:12He understands the craft.
21:14Maybe that's why
21:16he is a good director.
21:18There are many actors
21:20who are performance oriented.
21:22They enjoy working with Anuraag sir.
21:24Because he creates an environment
21:26for you.
21:28Because he understands the craft.
21:30He understands the approach of an actor.
21:32He doesn't direct too much.
21:34He gives you responsibilities.
21:36This is your script.
21:38This is your role.
21:40He trusts you.
21:42Did Shaitaan's success
21:44or his performance
21:46make you famous?
21:48People started recognizing you.
21:50People in the industry started recognizing you.
21:52People in the parties also started recognizing you.
21:54There was an aura
21:56that you weren't
21:58the type of person
22:00to go to parties.
22:02How was it happening?
22:04How did you face it?
22:06I was facing a lot of problems.
22:08People were calling me.
22:10There was a music party.
22:12There were live performances.
22:14People were calling me
22:16for award shows.
22:18But I wasn't feeling comfortable.
22:20Then I realized
22:22that this is part of the business.
22:24If I don't feel comfortable,
22:26how will I live?
22:28How will I work?
22:30I had to overcome that.
22:32It took time.
22:34I was very shy.
22:36You met Shahrukh Khan
22:38at his house.
22:40I spent 3 hours
22:42with Shahrukh Khan.
22:44He is a very good person.
22:46But I wasn't comfortable.
22:48I didn't know what to do
22:50at Shahrukh Khan's house.
22:52I was very uncomfortable.
22:54Did you talk to him?
22:56I didn't talk to him.
22:58I talked to Joel Edgerton.
23:00He is an Australian
23:02but he appears a lot in Hollywood films.
23:06I recognized him.
23:08I think he is a friend
23:10of Shahrukh Khan.
23:12Or Shahrukh's friend.
23:14He was standing there.
23:16He was standing behind
23:18the bar counter.
23:20I couldn't place him.
23:22I started talking to him.
23:24I told him to look outside.
23:26I have seen you somewhere
23:28but I don't remember.
23:30Then he said,
23:32Warriors.
23:34Tom Hardy and the Warriors.
23:36Did you meet Shahrukh Khan?
23:38I didn't meet him.
23:40I have seen him a couple of times.
23:42But I didn't meet him.
23:44That was in 2012.
23:48Tell our viewers
23:50about your experience
23:52working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
23:54A lot of things are said about him.
23:56All that is true
23:58but there are
24:00a lot of other things as well.
24:02He can be a very funny
24:04kind of a person.
24:06When he is in a good mood,
24:08he jokes a lot.
24:10People get scared of him
24:12because he conducts himself
24:14very seriously.
24:16He has a lot of passion
24:18for his stories.
24:20He is also very demanding.
24:22He wants to see
24:24as much passion as he has.
24:26It is not possible.
24:28Sometimes,
24:30he gets frustrated.
24:32He gets angry.
24:34He throws things.
24:38But he has a lot of love
24:40for his stories and films.
24:42He is very inspiring.
24:44He does it very patiently.
24:46He has a pace.
24:48You have to adjust to it.
24:50If you want to work fast,
24:52it is not possible.
24:54You are often told
24:56that you don't go for auditions.
24:58I give auditions
25:00when they call me.
25:02How did Mr. Kali approach you?
25:04Casting director Shruti Mahajan
25:06suggested my name.
25:08Then I met him
25:10in his office.
25:12He tried 2-3
25:14pagadis.
25:16He liked it.
25:18He said, I am okay with this boy.
25:20Then I got casted so easily.
25:22I have heard that everyone else
25:24gave auditions.
25:26He didn't take an audition from me.
25:28I don't know why.
25:30Did you watch it?
25:32Yes, I liked it.
25:34I liked Sonakshi's character
25:36the most.
25:38I enjoyed it a lot.
25:40I didn't expect it.
25:42I was in a negative shade.
25:44Sonakshi's character
25:46was in a negative shade in the beginning.
25:48I enjoyed it a lot.
25:50She played that role very well.
25:52You worked with Ranbir Singh
25:54and Deepika Padukone
25:56in Ramleela.
25:58How was that experience?
26:00Can you tell us about it?
26:02Ranbir Singh's film
26:04was not doing well at that time.
26:06Vikramaditya Motwane
26:08had made Lutera.
26:10Lutera.
26:12I had a lot of appreciation
26:14but
26:16it was not a big business.
26:18I think it affected him a little.
26:20He wanted it to do well.
26:22Before that,
26:24his first film was doing well.
26:26Average.
26:28I think
26:30he was getting stardom.
26:32But
26:34I think
26:36in such a film,
26:38many times
26:40you get an unexpected opportunity
26:42and then you feel
26:44people should like it.
26:46It's such a beautiful story.
26:48It was made by such a good director.
26:50I didn't like it as much as people thought.
26:52I think it was a little dull in the beginning.
26:54But as soon as the shooting
26:56of the song started,
26:58he was in his zone.
27:00He is the one
27:02you are thinking about.
27:04He is in his zone since then.
27:06People who know him since childhood
27:08say that he has been like this since childhood.
27:10He is in the same zone.
27:12His energy level is amazing.
27:14I used to go to him a lot.
27:16I used to say that this energy
27:18is not maintained.
27:20I used to get tired of seeing his energy.
27:22Your choice of roles
27:24and films are different.
27:26Horror, suspense, thriller.
27:28But in the middle
27:30you got an adult comedy film
27:32called Hunter.
27:34It was in limelight.
27:36How did that happen?
27:38How did you get it?
27:40Shweta Venkat is an editor
27:42who did the editing of That Girl in Yellow Boots.
27:44Her husband
27:46Vinil Mathew
27:48is a friend of Harsh Vardhan Kulkarni.
27:50He suggested that
27:52Harsh Vardhan
27:54had approached a lot of actors
27:56about his script.
27:58His original title was Vasu.
28:00A lot of people refused.
28:02One person said yes
28:04and then also refused.
28:06So his film was not getting made.
28:08Someone suggested
28:10a new actor to meet him.
28:12So he met me.
28:14After meeting me,
28:16he told me that
28:18I should read the script
28:20and then decide.
28:22After reading the script,
28:24I liked it.
28:26It was a different zone.
28:28After Shaitaan,
28:30the same type of roles were being offered.
28:32I thought it was different
28:34and in the comedy zone.
28:36I didn't think of being an adult.
28:38I thought it was a middle class world.
28:40I liked it.
28:42It was an Amol Palekar type of film.
28:45Garuda, Golmaal, etc.
28:47They were middle class characters.
28:49Even their problems were middle class.
28:51I felt that
28:53if it was made in the 70s,
28:55Amol would have done it.
28:57So I said yes.
28:59That's how I got this film.
29:01Thanks to Shweta Venkat.
29:03Today's actors,
29:05especially if we talk about
29:07Abhishek Banerjee,
29:09do a lot of good work.
29:11You have worked with Namaz.
29:14You have worked in the same film.
29:16Yes.
29:18There were different directors.
29:20One portion was made by the other director.
29:22One portion was made by my director.
29:24There was a scene where
29:26there is an overlap.
29:28If we talk about the Asoor series,
29:30Arun Sobti's role,
29:32actors like him are coming forward.
29:34After coming to the OTT platform,
29:36people are getting more opportunities
29:38to work.
29:40How do you see the OTT platform?
29:42It's a good environment.
29:44In cinema,
29:46there was a type.
29:48If you see that era,
29:52Shah Rukh Khan was known
29:54for his intense roles.
29:58Aamir Khan had soft and romantic roles.
30:02Sanjay Dutt had action-oriented roles.
30:04Every actor had his own identity.
30:06Govinda later became a comedy actor.
30:08Sunil Shetty and Akshay Kumar
30:10used to make action films.
30:12After a long time,
30:14they didn't change.
30:16They were a type.
30:18They used to make different films
30:20in different zones.
30:22Even today,
30:24people remember Bachchan
30:26as an angry young man.
30:28That was the era.
30:30He was known for his roles.
30:32His audience liked to watch
30:34those types of roles.
30:36It's good.
30:38OTT had a limit.
30:40People couldn't experiment
30:42beyond that.
30:44Character-driven roles
30:48had less scope.
30:50Manoj ji tried
30:52and was successful.
30:54But he wasn't as successful
30:56as the others.
30:58He had a different character in every film.
31:00With OTT,
31:02we started getting audience
31:04who were character-driven actors
31:06who wanted to play different roles.
31:08We started getting opportunities
31:10for them.
31:12You can see that
31:14in the films too.
31:16Filmy Sitara
31:18doesn't mean
31:20that they'll play the same roles.
31:22They'll play different roles.
31:24Aamir Khan himself
31:26broke that mould.
31:28You'll see his work
31:30after Sarfarosh.
31:32He was character-driven
31:34and had a unique personality.
31:36Tell us about
31:38your upcoming projects.
31:40This is a children's film
31:42being screened in Melbourne.
31:44Little Thomas.
31:46Unfortunately, I can't go.
31:48Anurag Kashyap is the producer.
31:50It's a story of Goa
31:52in the early 90s.
31:54It's a lovely and sweet story.
31:56The protagonist is a child.
31:58Hridansh is a lovely child.
32:00He played the role of Thomas.
32:02There's a love story.
32:04Kaushal Hoja
32:06is a great director.
32:08I loved working with him.
32:10His stories are beautiful too.
32:12We've done a series on therapy.
32:18Jhansi's Rajkumar is a complete film.
32:20These are the three projects
32:22that will be released
32:24this year or next year.
32:26I'll ask you two more questions.
32:28You worked with
32:30D.K. Sir in Guns N' Gulab.
32:32In that film,
32:34you played a character
32:36with long hair.
32:38Was the role inspired by
32:40Sanju Baba?
32:42No, only the hair.
32:44The role was not inspired.
32:46They were looking for references
32:48for the look.
32:50All the heroes with long hair
32:52were selected by Sanju Baba
32:54for the role.
32:57The front hair was mine.
32:59The back hair was half-wig.
33:01It was inspired by the hairstyle.
33:05At one point,
33:07I realized that
33:09I can't mimic Sanju Baba.
33:11But should I try?
33:13The director said yes.
33:15Two of my friends were
33:17acting with me.
33:19I told them that I'll do something
33:21to give them a response.
33:23Then I'll come back
33:25and show them how I look.
33:27I did a very bad Sanju Baba
33:29acting.
33:31So, I improvised
33:33Sanju Baba.
33:35That's it.
33:37The character is not inspired
33:39by Sanju Baba.
33:41It's just the look.
33:43There was a photo of
33:45Mithun Chakraborty
33:47wearing a leather jacket.
33:49The look was designed from there.
33:51How do you see Raj and D.K. Sir?
33:53They have a different aura.
33:55Their style is different.
33:57They have a sense of humor.
33:59It's a little dark and mischievous.
34:01It's bloody,
34:03but funny.
34:07They find humor
34:09in unexpected places.
34:13They are a little crazy.
34:15The kind of stories they tell
34:17are not in everyone's mind.
34:20One last question, Sir.
34:22You have done so many films
34:24and roles,
34:26whether romantic or not.
34:28So, is it more difficult
34:30to do a romantic scene
34:32or an action scene?
34:34In both.
34:36In an action scene,
34:38you have to get hurt.
34:40In a romantic scene,
34:42you have to maintain respect
34:44and dignity.
34:46You can't cross that.
34:48You need a lot of preparation
34:50and planning.
34:52It depends.
34:54If you have to do a romantic scene
34:56with an actor
34:58who you don't feel comfortable with,
35:00it can be very difficult.
35:02You have to tackle it
35:04in the right way.
35:06These days,
35:08there are intimacy coordinators
35:10who help you do things slowly.
35:14There is a fear of getting hurt
35:16because of you or someone else.
35:20It can be very challenging
35:22depending on the choreography.
35:24You can get hurt
35:26because of small things.
35:28You can slip and hurt your eye.
35:30There is a risk of getting hurt.
35:34You are single now.
35:36Do you have any plans for marriage?
35:38I am not single.
35:40I was married,
35:42but I am with them now.
35:46We are back together.
35:50Thank you so much for talking to us.
35:52He was actor Gulshan Devaiah.
35:56Namaskar.