In a recent interaction on X (formerly Twitter), actor Gulshan Devaiah clarified an improvised moment in Rishab Shetty’s film ‘Kantara Chapter 1’. The scene in question features Devaiah’s character, Prince Kulashekara, pulling the cheek of his on-screen sister, Princess Kanakavathi, played by Rukmini Vasanth.
Responding to a fan who shared a clip of the scene and commented on Vasanth’s luck, Devaiah pointed out the inappropriateness of the remark. He further revealed that the gesture was not part of the script but an improvisation during rehearsals. “Rishab laughed out loud,” Devaiah shared, explaining that the director decided to keep the unscripted moment in the final cut.
However, the improvisation sparked a debate online, with some users accusing Devaiah of touching a woman without consent. Defending his actions, Devaiah stated, “We are both professional actors playing siblings in the film and of course it was done with consent.” He further elaborated to address the misconception that improvisation always means spontaneity, emphasizing his commitment to professionalism and ensuring consent from co-actors, regardless of gender. Devaiah also alluded to a past incident on the sets of the 2011 film ‘Shaitan’ where he learned this lesson ‘the hard way’, though he did not provide further details.