Actor Gulshan Devaiah navigates social media with impressive ease, transforming what can often be a toxic and addictive space into his personal playground. The acclaimed antagonist of ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ has been thoroughly enjoying his interactions with fans on X (formerly Twitter) since the prequel’s much-anticipated release. Known for his witty retorts and playful banter, he takes even the sharpest comments in stride with remarkable grace.
“Initially, I wasn’t entirely comfortable with social media,” Devaiah shares. “But as I explored it, I started to understand what it truly meant for me. I realized it needed to be an authentic extension of my personality. My online conversations shouldn’t differ from our face-to-face interactions. Ultimately, I decided if it wasn’t enjoyable, there was no point in being on it.”
His candid approach has clearly resonated with audiences, who are inundating him with messages and praise for his compelling portrayal of King Kulashekhara in ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’, the prequel to the immensely successful 2022 film. “It’s become overwhelming; I can’t possibly respond to everyone. People are sharing such wonderful sentiments about my performance. They seem even happier for my success than I am for myself, with many commenting things like, ‘Finally, this guy is getting the recognition he truly deserves’.”
‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ marks Gulshan’s first collaboration with director Rishab Shetty. Their connection began in 2019 during a casual meeting over masala dosa at the now-closed New Krishna Bhavan in Malleswaram. “We were introduced by our mutual friend, actor PD Sathish Chandra,” Gulshan explains. A selfie of the three outside the restaurant, across from Sampige Theatre, has since gained viral traction online.
View this post on InstagramOriginally from Bengaluru, Gulshan had moved to Mumbai to chase his acting aspirations. At the time, he wasn’t closely following the Kannada film industry or Rishab’s earlier projects. However, Rishab’s profound passion for storytelling immediately captivated him. “His narratives were deeply rooted, stemming directly from the Kundapura region where he grew up. He wasn’t just interested in making films; he was driven by a desire to create impactful cinema. After our very first meeting, I knew I wanted to work with him,” Devaiah recalls.
Their planned collaboration for ‘Rudraprayag’, which was to star Anant Nag, was put on hold when Rishab decided to shelve the project during the pandemic and shifted his focus to acting roles. “I had a strong feeling he’d reach out again; I just knew he’d write a part specifically for me,” Gulshan admits. His intuition proved correct when the call for ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ came. “Rishab actually wrote the character of Kulashekhara with me in mind,” the actor reveals.
Within this period drama, set centuries in the past, Gulshan brilliantly embodies King Kulashekhara — a wicked, utterly useless monarch. His character finds himself in intense conflict with the tribal community of Kantara forest, led by the brave Berme, portrayed by Rishab Shetty. Devaiah masterfully establishes the king’s contemptuous nature right from his opening scene, where he disdainfully insults a priest during his own coronation.
“In my mind, I had an image of an extremely entitled king. He is from a mighty kingdom, and his family is powerful. Everything belongs to him anyway, so he is lazy and perpetually drunk. He is everything that a king shouldn’t be. If people like Kulashekhara inherit power, they will destroy the world,” Gulshan describes his character.
Gulshan’s nuanced body language throughout the film is a testament to his acting prowess. Kulashekhara is universally despised, both by the characters within the narrative and by the audience. “If you constantly worry about whether people will dislike your character, it can really get into your head,” Gulshan notes. “Whether it’s a villain, a hero, or even a minor but crucial role, I’m keen to portray it if the character truly excites me.” He then shares how he fully embodied the role.
“For Kulashekhara, I deliberately adopted lazy postures, as they perfectly conveyed his mental state,” he explains. “He’s also incredibly self-conscious, which, ironically, makes such individuals quite dangerous. Having spent years observing people with highly sensitive egos and their behaviors within the film industry, I drew upon those experiences to inform aspects of my performance.”
Devaiah’s formidable talent truly shines in an extended forest sequence where his character ruthlessly commands the mass slaughter of the tribal inhabitants. Mounted on horseback, Kulashekhara grins chillingly as he witnesses bodies falling, solidifying his image as a truly formidable villain.
“Kulashekhara’s overconfidence in that moment stems from his ignorance of what fate awaits him,” the actor says with a slight chuckle. “All jokes aside, I’m genuinely proud of how that sequence turned out. The terrain was incredibly challenging, and as a novice horse rider, dealing with moody horses was a constant struggle. We spent nearly 20 days perfecting that scene, thankfully without any major mishaps. I’m truly pleased that my performance felt natural and effortless.”
Having grown up in Bengaluru, Kannada is a familiar language for Devaiah. However, for this role, he needed to master the distinct accent of Karnataka’s coastal region. “Shaneel Gautham, the film’s co-writer, who also played Ravi anna in the hit ‘Su From So’, was instrumental in helping me with the dialect,” Gulshan acknowledges. “Any convincing quality in my accent is entirely thanks to him.”
Since his impactful debut in Anurag Kashyap’s acclaimed ‘The Girl in Yellow Boots’ (2010), Gulshan has skillfully carved out a unique space for himself by embracing complex, morally ambiguous characters. His career path is refreshingly unpredictable, consistently keeping audiences guessing about his next choice. Refusing to be typecast, Devaiah has consistently appeared in creatively daring and unconventional films, including ‘Death In The Gunj’ and ‘Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota’. His natural flair for humor and ability to master diverse dialects also make him a highly reliable and versatile performer, especially for authentic, grounded narratives like ‘Dahaad’.
Without a doubt, ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ represents his most significant success to date, bringing widespread recognition reminiscent of his breakthrough role in the adult comedy ‘Hunterr’. Despite the relentless attention, Gulshan firmly asserts that he won’t let it “go to his head.”
“These projects are merely stepping stones,” he reflects. “What I’m experiencing now is the conventional definition of success, where a film’s box office performance directly influences one’s career. However, my approach has always been to choose roles that genuinely excite me. Whether they resonate with audiences or not is secondary. For instance, I took on a film called ‘Carbaret’ because I found the concept intriguing, even though it wasn’t well-received. Similarly, I’ve stepped away from theatre because the process no longer sparks my interest. My philosophy remains consistent across all my work: I will continue to explore diverse roles and forge an unconventional path in my career, as long as I remain passionate about the craft.”