Gulshan Devaiah on 'Guns & Gulaabs': It would be stupid to reject this role

The actor plays a killer in the new Netflix show, also starring Rajkummar Rao and Dulquer Salmaan

By Yasser Usman

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Published: Fri 1 Sep 2023, 4:21 PM

After blockbuster shows like The Family Man and Farzi, director duo Raj and DK are back with a retro-inspired action series Guns & Gulaabs, which released last week on Netflix. Its wacky trailer has crossed over 75 million views on YouTube, the most for any Indian series. The series stars Rajkummar Rao and Gulshan Devaiah who plays a quirky killer called ‘Chaar-Cut Atmaram'. We spoke to Gulshan about his role and his journey of playing versatile characters. Excerpts from the interview:

You are playing an assassin called 'Chaar-Cut Atmaram' who kills with four precise incisions across the body. Tell us more about this character.

I can’t tell you about 'Chaar-Cut Atmaram,' you have to feel this strange, quirky character. He does not belong to the place Gulabganj where this story is set. He is an outsider.

You also have that Sanjay Dutt kind of mullet hairstyle from the 1990s...

My hairstyle is of course taken from Dutt Sa’ab (Sanjay Dutt). It was that reference from the 1990s. There are many other references you will notice when you watch Guns and Gulaabs.

The trailer looks like a crazy ride. What did Raj and DK (directors) tell you about this character?

Raj sir called me; I told him I’ve decided not to play a villain after Commando 3. Raj sir insisted that I should at least read the script before saying no. As soon as I began reading I was completely immersed in the world Raj & DK have created. I told myself I would be plain stupid to reject this role. I was getting an opportunity to work with Raj & DK as well as Rajkummar Rao once again after Badhai Do.

You began with Anurag Kashyap and followed it with films like Shaitan (2011), Peddlers (2012) Hunterr (2015), but all these films were distinctly in the realistic zone. Then there was Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela (2013). How are the experiences different as an actor?

Their sensibilities and storytelling are completely different. You have to understand this before you go on their sets. Initially it was puzzling because I was new but gradually you observe and learn their different approaches. For instance, Sanjay Leela Bhansali made Devdas (2002), the sets were opulent, the grandeur was unmatchable, the song picturisations are so colourful and then Anurag Kashyap explored the same story in Dev D (2009) but rooted in reality. Their sensibilities and craft as storytellers are poles apart. That reminds me of an interesting incident. I was shooting for Commando 3 (2009) and its director Aditya Dutt didn’t want his actors to blink during shots. After my shot he would come to me and say Gulshan everything was perfect but can you do the same shot without blinking (laughs). That’s his aesthetic. Either you can be irritated by it or take it as a distinct approach of the director. Just like how painters have same canvas and colours but the final art they create is so different.

Your performance in Dahaad was so nuanced - the role of Rajasthan Police Inspector Devilal Singh. We felt it could have been a loud performance as a police officer with authority but you brilliantly underplayed it.

I auditioned for that role. Reema Kagti really liked my audition and said this is our Devilal. Later while shooting I asked her what she liked in my audition? She said, 'You were the only one who were not acting like a police officer’. My thought behind this was that being a cop is a job. Police is not my personality, it is my job. So I worked on the personality of Devilal, the human being. Everyone will know that you are a policeman when you are wearing that uniform and two people are saluting you. You don’t have to act it out all the time because we have been used to an image of filmy police officers.

It’s been a journey of more than a decade. You studied fashion designing from NIFT and then became an actor. Were there times when there was no work, when you felt this profession brings no stability?

I have always believed that to curate my career is my responsibility. Initially I used to say no to certain roles as I didn’t want to repeat myself playing similar characters so there were rough patches with no work. Everyone who is coming to this industry should know it’s a volatile industry. Do not look for stability. You might earn millions or become a huge star, but your downfall is imminent. Flop films will definitely come. Very few people have been consistent. So you have to come prepared for it. There is work but you have to be patient and confident of your abilities. I also want to talk about another observation: I’ve noticed that if you get little success, there is a tendency of showing off. Buying big cars and houses and get burdened by EMIs. That’s a lot of pressure. Then you have to accept any work that’s coming your way. I remember during the lockdown I was fine because I had little savings but no EMIs. However, some of my actor friends had to pay a hefty sum per month as EMIs and there were no payments being released during that phase. They were in deep trouble.

You're among the very few Indian actors who shares their opinions on social media. In times like these when actors are super scared, 'super gullu' (his twitter handle) is courageous enough to take a stand. Do you think, in contemporary times, actors should share political or moral opinions?

I am not at all courageous (laughs). But you can’t live in fear all the time. My point is whatever I can speak with my friends, I should also be able to convey through social media. There is no difference. In 2019, I realized social media is an extension of myself. So if I have to interact with you I can message you on phone or I can also use social media. I want to be really sincere on social media. And believe me I am not that brave as I used to think I am (laughs).

Are you happy with his journey so far? Is there a five year or ten year plan?

Lists limit you. I want to remain open to accepting and manifesting new opportunities. It’s a journey; I am rowing a boat in a river. One day I’ll get tired and will park my boat. There is risk but that’s the beauty of this profession.

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