Anyone would assume that Gulshan Devaiah would be on cloud nine right now. His film, Kantara Chapter 1, just crossed ₹650 crore worldwide, beating the mark of Baahubali of all films. It has also been universally praised, with Gulshan’s performance receiving a lot of love. But the actor says even as he soaks in the adulation, he is trying not to let it get to him. In a candid chat with Hindustan Times, the actor talks about Kantara Chapter 1, fame, and pan-Indian films.

Gulshan on Kantara Chapter 1

Talking about the box office feats of Kantara Chapter 1, and the audience love, Gulshan says, “I enjoy the appreciation. Jab ho raha hai, main dono haathon se leke gale lagata hoon aur phir chhor deta hoon phir (I embrace the good but then let it go too). You move on to other things.”

But the actor is not naïve. He recognises what such a sensational hit can mean for his career. “I am sure this kind of attention does make a difference in terms of a career, so it is much more important in terms of what it can tangibly give you, like projects or deals. Remuneration aur profile thoda improve hoga (my work profile and remuneration will increase),” he explains.

On dealing with fame

He then jokes about how his ranking on IMDb’s (Internet Movie Database) Most Popular Indian Stars’ list has jumped over 200 places after the film’s release. “Jaise 213 se 22 mein jump kiya maine. Toh main kuch aise thoda bikini shoot karunga toh shayad main aur upar mein jaunga (I jumped from 213 to 22 in IMDb. Maybe if I do a bikini shoot, I will climb further),” he quips.

Gulshan is surprised that he ranks higher than many top stars in the list because of the focus on Kantara Chapter 1. “I am above Mrunal Thakur and Triptii Dimri. How can that be?” he says with a laugh, before adding, “I am just making light of this moment. Mrunal is a friend of mine, and Triptii is amazing too. So many people are doing wonderful. That’s what I mean by this reception. I embrace it, but I’m ready to let go soon.”

Gulshan started his career with Hindi films, but Kannada is what he calls his mother tongue. He was born in Karnataka. But despite that, he doesn’t see his Kannada debut as any sort of homecoming. “I am from Karnataka, but I belong to cinema. The moment I started doing cinema, that was my homecoming. I was born in Bangalore. I am from Kodavu, which is part of Karnataka. I grew up speaking Kannada. I spent the first 30 years of my life there. So I associate with the culture, but for me, this was another good story,” he explains.

‘Our idea of cinema is expanding’

Kantara Chapter 1 has been a success across India, grossing over ₹150 crore in both Kannada and Hindi, with the Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam dubs also doing well. Gulshan elaborates, “I think our idea of what cinema is also expanding. Once upon a time, when I was a kid, Hindi films used to be the pan-India films because they had they had a wider appeal. They also appealed to people who were not native Hindi speakers. But now, the native Hindi speakers are also interested in the stories that are rooted in other regions. I am just happy that I am part of this phenomenon.”

Kantara Chapter 1 is directed and written by Rishab Shetty, and also stars him in the lead. A prequel to the 2022 blockbuster Kantara, the film also features Rukmini Vasanth and Jayaram, apart from Gulshan. It is currently running in theatres.