Gulshan Devaiah never ceases to surprise his fans. His newest offering Afsos, a black comedy has put the actor back in the spotlight. Gulshan plays the role of Nakul, a writer, who keeps attempting suicide but fails at dying. So he hires a shooter to kill him. However, the writer decides to live. But his shooter Upadhyay never leaves her job incomplete. What follows is a crazy cat-and-mouse chase between Nakul and his shooter.
Talking about why he agreed to play the role of such a confused character, Gulshan says, “I really like the three writers, Anirban Dasgupta, Dibya Chatterjee and Sourav Ghosh. I like their energy and their work. They had the right team in place. I also thought it was interesting to play a loser like Nakul Krishna who is a failed writer. At the same time, it was challenging because although the protagonist is a loser, we had to keep the audience interested in the story.”
This isn’t the first time the actor has picked an unusual script and character. Gulshan played the roles of twin brothers — one good and one evil — in the film Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota. “When I am interested in a character it becomes a part of my life. I am constantly thinking about it. I just tap into my imagination and let things come through. Be it book readings, discussions with the director or writer, or just random ideation. Sometimes if I get an idea while watching a film, I use it, but I never really try to force anything. I give my characters sufficient time in my head,” reveals Gulshan.
Afsos features Heeba Shah as Upadhyay, the assassin. The actress has been receiving appreciation for her measured performance as the killer. This is the first time Gulshan has worked with her. “She is a delightful and generous person, and is extremely grounded,” says the actor. While the series is still trending, Gulshan has already begun shooting for his next series, a production by Excel Entertainment, directed by Reema Kagti. He will also be seen in Radhika Apte’s directorial debut, a short film titled Sleepwalkers.
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