Gulshan Devaiah on how he learned MMA for Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, months after his knee surgery
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 24, 2019)

Having cherished his experience of working with Vasan Bala on Peddlers, Gulshan Devaiah was certain he had to be part of the filmmaker’s next, Mard Ko Dard Nahi hota.

The actor, who plays a martial arts expert in the satire, says he came on board the Abhimanyu Dassani starrer despite having undergone a knee cap reconstructive surgery not too long ago. “I had to pick up karate for the role. It was hard because I had no martial arts background. I would practice six days a week for four months before we began rolling,” says Devaiah, adding that the strenuous nature of the martial art put his knee at risk.

“Since I had undergone surgery only months before, I had to ask the makers to cut down on the prep. I would be practicing my karate moves on one hand, and on the other hand, my physiotherapist was working on me, too.”

The actor admits that shooting the action sequences wasn’t without its share of difficulties. “I would have cramps and spasms. I constantly suffered from lower back pain. It was frustrating. There were times when Vasan sir wasn’t sure if I could pull this off.”

The joy of working with Bala aside, Devaiah says the film introduced him to his latest passion. “I enjoyed boxing a lot, which I picked up during the film. It was my wife’s idea to make me join MMA. It resonated with me physically and mentally.”