Actor Gulshan Devaiah was praised for his portrayal of the evil King Kulashekara in Rishab Shetty’s mythological action drama Kantara Chapter 1 . In an exclusive conversation with Hindustan Times, the actor recently discussed the challenges of portraying mythological characters on screen. He also spoke about Ranbir Kapoor’s highly anticipated Ramayana and expressed support for its global ambitions, saying Indian films that aim to reach audiences worldwide deserve encouragement.
Kantara was a work of fiction; with regard to the Ramayana, there is already a lot of literature. I don’t think it’s difficult. Also, people come to theatres with the mindset that it’s make-believe, but still, if you make them feel the story and the scene, they will give you the benefit of the doubt. Gulshan shared that several factors contribute to a mythological film’s convincing quality. I don’t think playing mythological characters or historical characters is that difficult unless there are some expectations. For example, certain characters are very revered and divine, like Shivaji Maharaj; he is almost a divine person for Maharashtrians, so to interpret him becomes tricky. The actor pointed out that audience expectations and emotional connections to familiar portrayals can make certain roles more challenging. Gulshan also discussed the global ambitions of Ranbir’s Ramayana and how they set the film apart. The ambition is to go global. Also, people can say a thousand things about it, but I think that having an ambition like this is not a bad thing. Like there is no bigger market than Hollywood for English films, so if an Indian film has that ambition that everyone in the world should watch it, then it’s a great ambition. Gulshan also urged audiences to support Indian films that aim to reach viewers worldwide, regardless of their personal opinions. Like, I didn’t really vibe with RRR, but I love that it did so well in the US. It is good for Indian films that at least Rajamouli has his foot in the door, and more will follow. Ramayana seems to be that, so for an ambition of our film to go global and still rooted in our culture, it is good. Meanwhile, Gulshan will next be seen in the Kaushal Oza film Little Thomas.
Also starring Rasika Dugal, the film is scheduled to release in theatres on October 23. Because (he is called) maryada purushottam, speaking about Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal of Lord Rama in Ramayana, he said, “Even Rama has that (baggage of expectation). Because there is an entire generation that has very fond feelings for Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan and Arun Govil playing Lord Ram, so you tend to measure that old feeling with this, there is nostalgia attached to it also.
When asked if actors face difficulty convincing audiences while playing mythological or fantastical characters, Gulshan said, “I don’t think so. He said, “It also depends on how good a film is shot, the performances and other things in order to keep that illusion going. He said, “I think this film caters to a much larger audience, to the Indian diaspora and to the non-Indian diaspora audience as well. Citing SS Rajamouli’s RRR as an example, the actor said the film’s success in the US was a positive development for Indian cinema. He said, “Whether you like it or not, that’s a different thing, but one should rally behind it.
