What is the story about?
2025 was the year of Gulshan Devaiah’s pan-India stardom. The actor ventured into Kannada cinema with Kantara: Chapter 1 and signed his first Telugu film,
Maa Inti Bangaram, with Samantha Ruth Prabhu. Kantara: Chapter 1 with Rishab Shetty was a landmark film of the year. Recently, the movie was back in the news after Ranveer Singh imitated the acclaimed Chavundi Daiva scene on stage at the closing ceremony of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. In an exclusive interview with Zoom, Gulshan reacted to the outrage on social media against Ranveer. Devaiah played the role of Kulasekhara in the mythological drama.
Gulshan Devaiah reacts to Ranveer Singh facing backlash
In an exclusive interview with Zoom, Gulshan said, “I don’t know why Ranveer Singh did that. Ranveer Singh is Ranveer Singh. Nobody knows what he is up to and why. Personally, I don’t get affected by such things because my perspective is different to such things. My identity, my culture; I don’t take it personally when someone does this. I can understand why such a big deal is made out of this.”
He added, “I have tremendous respect for Rishab, who kept telling him not to do it. It is important for him. He believes in the culture, which is why he is able to pull it off. Ranveer has also apologised for it. Leave it behind and forget it. This is my opinion. I am not telling people how to behave, whether to accept his apology or not. I am saying anything. People can do whatever they want. My opinion affects nobody but me and my sanity. All I care about is the mental balance.”
Why Ranveer Singh was slammed?
Ranveer faced extreme criticism for ‘mocking’ Kantara Chapter 1, a film deeply rooted in religion and culture. He was also called out for addressing Chavundi Daiva as ‘female ghost’. In the viral clip, Rishab was seen laughing. However, it was later clarified that the Kantara Chapter 1 actor-director had stopped Ranveer for the mimicry.
Amid the backlash, Ranveer issued a statement on social media, which read, "My intention was to highlight Rishab's incredible performance in the film. Actor to actor, I know how much it would take to perform that particular scene in the way that he did, for which he has my utmost admiration. I have always deeply respected every culture, tradition and belief in our country. If I've hurt anyone's sentiments, I sincerely apologise."
Gulshan is currently in the middle of Maa Inti Bangaram’s shoot. The film aims to lock a release date in 2026.
