Bengalur actor Gulshan Devaiah speaks to The Hindu on his experience playing the role of Mandar Ponkshe in Hunterrr

Bengaluru actor Gulshan Devaiah is making headlines these days, having played Hindi cinema’s first-of-its-kind understated sex addict in Hunterrr. The boy, who started off in the English theatre circuit working with Kalki Koechlin, and then moved on to play negative roles in films like Shaitan and That Girl in Yellow Boots (where he played Chittiappa the don), talks to MetroPlus about how everyone knows a sex addict like Mandar, about how he’s a performance-oriented actor, how he’s gone undercover to theatres, on life in Bengaluru, and growing up.

Your role as sex addict Mandar Ponkshe is being seen as a rather bold one in Hindi cinema. Did you see it that way?

No. Even when I read the script I didn’t feel it was a ground-breaking role. I didn’t pick the role. I make do with what comes to me. But this role was different. Harshavardhan (Kulkarni, the director) was offering me a comedy role when I was getting only violent roles! The first 15 pages of Hunterrr were great, and I think it was Naseeruddin Shah who said if the first 10 pages of the script are not great, then it’s not worth doing it. I liked the character. I liked the ordinariness of the guy.

He is your average Joe, or Ramu, who lives a colourful “secret” life; he’s not brave to admit it openly, and he wants to keep it safe. I suppose this is how it is in real life too – Harshavardhan knows such guys, based on whom he wrote the script. They don’t brag about what they do; you accidentally figure it out. I knew a guy like this – you know how boy-talk is! And in my opinion, one should never over-think anything. If a role appeals to you and your portrayal is sincere, that’s all that matters. The character had an Amol Palekar feel…

But this story is far removed from the innocence of Palekar’s films…

But that was a different time. It was the 70s and art reflected the era. I’ve not followed all his films, but I don’t think Amol Palekar did any A-rated film at all. All my films, funnily, have an A rating (adult censor certificate).

Going by the kind of reactions the film has got, it’s been more appealing to men.

And I understand why. It’s because of the sexuality, and men are able to relate to the protagonist. But that doesn’t mean there is nothing in the film for women. I’m sure they too have seen such men in their lives — a lot of people love Barney’s character in How I met Your Mother. This film is definitely no chick-flick. But I have gone covertly into theatres for the first time, just to see the reaction and was happy to find women coming in with families, girls bringing their boyfriends.

You’ve been doing these oddball roles in Bollywood all along…

You make these choices because of your sensibilities. I’m a performance-oriented actor. I can’t just spread out my arms and look good. My approach to acting comes from my theatre background. I rely on my imagination, having grown up alone, as an only child.

Tell us more about your life.

I’ve lived all my 30 years in Jalahalli. I went to Cluny Convent Jalahalli and St Joseph’s Indian High School — there were a lot of Mandars there!

What’s happening on the theatre front? Things seem to have quietened there.

I have indefinitely retired from theatre. It’s taught me everything I know. I’ve never had the opportunity nor the privilege to go to any acting school. But I felt a certain level of dishonesty was creeping in. It was not fair to do theatre when I was not having fun.

What next?

I’m working in two Pooja Bhatt productions — Love Affair (with friend and co-star Kalki Koechlin), and Cabaret with Richa Chadha. There’s Junooniyat with director Vivek Agnihotri. There’s an indie called Candy Flip set in a shack in Goa that I’m also doing. And then I’m doing Ishq Uncensored with Kalki again.

So, Kalki’s a favourite to work with, ever since your theatre days?

Yes, there’s a comfort level and camaraderie. She and my wife are great friends, and it was her husband (Anurag Kashyap) who gave me my first break!

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Bhumika K / March 30th, 2015