Guns & Gulaabs came as the refreshing change that Adarsh Gourav was looking for. Having mostly played marginalised characters against a grim backdrop, including The White Tiger (2021), the actor relished portraying a flamboyant, affluent man. “It was nice to play a powerful man for a change, to wear beautiful clothes and shoot in gorgeous locations. It’s a rarity for me. So if anyone is listening, I want to go to Europe and shoot a film,” he laughs.

In the Netflix crime dramedy, Gourav plays the son of a local drug smuggler, essayed by the late Satish Kaushik, in the fictional town of Gulaabganj. Raj-DK’s directorial offering also stars Rajkummar Rao, Dulquer Salmaan and Gulshan Devaiah. Lovely as it was to reunite with his The White Tiger co-star Rao, Gourav was equally thrilled to be in the company of established actors. He believes an upcoming actor like him has much to learn from them.

“It’s a privilege to be shooting with such actors. You feel safe. You feel taken care of and assured of what you are getting into, because of how established they are. Their choices have been brave and unpredictable.”

Similarly, collaborating with Raj-DK gave him a ringside view of how the creator duo, known for their ingenious ideas and quirky humour, work. “They are always open to exploring what is bizarre and unbelievable for people till they make you believe it,” he exclaims.