The makers of Dahaad 2 aim to scale up the Sonakshi Sinha, Viineet Kumar Siingh, and Gulshan Devaiah-led series. After wrapping up the Rajasthan schedule, director Reema Kagti and her team will now move to Mumbai for the next leg.

According to sources, the Rajasthan leg — shot across multiple small-town locations — focused on establishing the new case and its socio-cultural context. “The Rajasthan schedule was about building the world again, getting the mood, and the investigation in place,” says a source close to the production.

With that groundwork completed, the unit is gearing up for a more physically demanding schedule in Kurla. The three-week stint will feature crowd-heavy scenes alongside action set-pieces. “There are multiple action blocks lined up from chases, confrontation scenes, to some high-intensity moments involving the police unit,” shares the source.

To ensure tighter execution, the team will shoot across controlled environments as well as select real locations in and around Kurla.

The source adds, “These scenes require timing, movement, and coordination. The idea isn’t to suddenly make it larger-than-life. But as the case progresses, the stakes naturally escalate. The Mumbai schedule reflects that progression.”

Actor Gulshan Devaiah is overwhelmed with gratitude as his 2023 film 8 AM Metro is winning love following its digital release on Amazon Prime Video. Despite a modest theatrical run at the time of its cinema release, the film has discovered a renewed wave of love only now on OTT.

Starring Gulshan Devaiah alongside Saiyami Kher and written and directed by debutant filmmaker Raj Rachakonda, 8A.M. Metro is a warm, intimate movie. Over the past few weeks, the actor has been inundated with messages from fans who say the film resonated with them long after the credits rolled.

Reacting to the outpouring of affection, he said, “The love that 8 AM Metro is receiving now feels like a never-ending gift. When the film first released in cinemas in 2023, it had a very limited run - no massive promotions, no big marketing campaign, and not a wide release. It didn’t make noise at the box office, but somewhere deep down, we knew we had made something honest. Today, seeing audiences discover it on OTT and connect with it so personally is incredibly moving for me.”

Reflecting on the film’s delayed discovery, the actor also spoke about the larger structural challenge such films face. “The reality is that there isn’t really a proper ecosystem for smaller, personal films like 8 AM Metro.”

Calling it the most emotionally vulnerable role of his career, Gulshan said, “8 AM Metro is probably the most emotional performance I’ve given. It’s not your typical love story - in fact, it’s a love story that was perhaps never meant to find its ‘perfect’ fate. And that’s what makes it so real. Not every connection is meant to culminate in fireworks. Some are meant to exist quietly, beautifully, and then pass. Of course, one wishes that more people had discovered the film when it first released. But perhaps this is just the life cycle of certain stories. Some films take time to find their people. In a world filled with chaos, aggression, and constant noise, we need films like this. We need stories that allow us to sit with longing, vulnerability, and incompleteness. 8 AM Metro reminds us that it’s okay to feel deeply. That there is beauty in melancholy. And I think that purity is what’s finally connecting with people.”

Actor Saiyami Kher is set to reunite with her 8 A.M. Metro (2023) co-star Gulshan Devaiah for an upcoming project releasing soon. The much-loved pairing has sparked interest again after pictures from the shoot surfaced online.

According to sources, the short film was shot entirely in the Mumbai suburbs as the project used real locations to heighten its intimate, lived-in mood.

Directed by a new filmmaker, the love drama is not a sequel but occupies a similar emotional space, centred on unsaid feelings and human connection. It has been shot completely in black and white.

A source told mid-day, “Saiyami and Gulshan share a very organic comfort level, both on and off screen. The shoot started on January 1 and wrapped up on January 5. It was a focussed unit with a crew of 100 people.”

This marks their third collaboration. “Saiyami and Gulshan spent time working through the characters’ internal histories. Because the film relies on minimal dialogue, a lot of the prep was about understanding emotional continuity. They prepped for two weeks before the shoot,” the source concluded.

It’s a year of firsts for Gulshan Devaiah. After making his Kannada film debut with Kantara: A Legend Chapter – 1, the actor is now foraying into the Tamil industry with Legacy. The Netflix series unites him with R Madhavan. “I felt weak in the knees every time I saw him,” quips Devaiah, referring to the actor’s aged look in the crime drama.

“He plays my father-in-law. There was something magnetic about that look. All the girls [on the set] were going gaga over him, and I said, ‘You have to go over my dead body. I’m getting to him first’,” he laughs.

Even as Kantara: A Legend Chapter – 1 has opened up opportunities for Devaiah, he doesn’t want to be impulsive in signing his next.

“The challenge is to see where I put my next step. The offers will keep coming; they did earlier too — from Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, some even from Malayalam and Bengali cinema.”

And there’s Hindi cinema, of course. His next Hindi project will be the second season of Dahaad (2023). Ask the actor for an update on the acclaimed series, and he teases, “I haven’t finished reading the script. I have it in my inbox.”

Over the last few days, social media, especially X, is abuzz with photos of an actress, wearing a beautiful blue sari and an infectious smile. What started with clips from her interview with an online portal and people asking who she was, soon snowballed into the title of ‘National Crush’ for Girija Oak, an actress who has been in the industry for over 20 years. Girija, who was recently seen in Inspector Zende with Manoj Bajpayee, finds the attention amusing.

“We actors love attention. That’s why we do what we do. But, if I had to put this newfound love from social media for me in one word, yes, it really is amusing,” she smiles.

Girija’s work portfolio is diverse, ranging from Marathi and Hindi films, TV shows and plays, including musicals. But getting national recognition via social media wasn’t on her bingo card for the year. That said, she’s hopeful about more opportunities now.

“I have been getting calls from various people asking if I’d work in their projects. Social media has opened the doors for sure. Now I am just waiting, and hoping, that this trending tag converts into good work coming my way,” she says.

Acknowledging that many got introduced to her thanks to her becoming a sensation, Girija adds, “There was a set of people asking - 'Who is she?' and another set schooling them on my work profile. Like I said, it’s been an amusing few days.”

While she's been showered with immense love on social media, Girija has also had a taste of the bad side of online platforms. Along with images of her now viral 'Blue saree woman', morphed, obscene photos of her have also hit social media. The actress addressed this in a video posted on Instagram too. 

Speaking to us, she adds, "People are justifying the morphed pics saying if I have done intimate scenes on screen, why should I have a problem with these morphed pics? Unfortunately, that's the kind of approach we have when it comes to a woman's agency - what she has consented to and what is being done without consent, just for the sake of titillation by miscreants."

Girija adds that many still don't understand what consent means. "Somebody morphing my face on obscene pics, and me willingly subscribing to doing an intimate scene on screen are two different things," she says, adding, "Just reading through comments on social media tells you what kind of mentality you are dealing with. The entitlement with which men come and say that if I have done an intimate scene this is bound to happen... It's pitiful."

Yet, there’s one stereotype she wishes to see breaking soon. “Most Marathi actors are still considered only for Maharashtrian characters. It’s something that boxes us and I wish that changes,” she says. 

Recalling an incident where she had to face this typecasting, Girija adds, “A few years ago, someone got in touch with me for the role of a house help. The role wasn’t the issue. I asked them if they had seen my photos because the character had to look a certain way.”

The person told Girija that they didn’t have to because she was a Marathi actress. “That association was something I have still not understood. I feel an actor should be considered for a role based on their skill, not because of some preconceived notions or stereotypes,” she adds.

Among the loudest cheerleaders of Girija in the last couple of weeks is actor Gulshan Devaiah, who she will soon be seen with in the show Therapy Sherapy. The actress had spoken about Gulshan’s professional attitude and how he made her feel comfortable during the shoot of an intimate scene, in a now viral clip from her interview to The Lallantop.

Speaking about their equation, Girija shares, “Gulshan was among the first ones to tell me that I was trending on X. In fact, he even posted a sweet note for me. We both are friends off the screen too and working with him was a fantastic experience.” Gulshan also called out an imposter account on X that was pretending to be the actress'. The account was later relabelled as a 'fan account'.

A man of cinema — that was Gulshan Devaiah’s first impression of Rishab Shetty when they met in 2019. The impression only strengthened when he saw Kantara (2022) and was admittedly blown away by it. “We tried to work together on two or three films, but it didn’t happen. I knew he’d call me someday. When he did, he said, ‘I’ve written a part for you’,” recalls Devaiah, who is being widely praised for his performance as the eccentric King Kulashekara in Kantara: A Legend Chapter – 1.

Devaiah vividly remembers Shetty’s narration of the mythological drama. “When Rishab narrated it, I thought, ‘If I don’t do this, I’m an idiot’. I knew it wasn’t the biggest part or that I wasn’t the protagonist, but the main attraction was Rishab — his passion towards telling his stories. You learn by working with such people.”

Kantara: A Legend Chapter – 1 marks Devaiah’s Kannada debut. Not many know that the actor hails from Karnataka. “I belong to Kodagu. I grew up speaking the language, so what a debut this is,” he exclaims.

Before facing the camera for the Shetty and Rukmini Vasanth-starrer, Devaiah did extensive workshops to bring his character alive. His attempt was to go beyond the written word. “I came up with many ideas. Part of the character was made in the script, part in my head, and the rest was made on set. Rishab gave me a lot of creative freedom,” he smiles.

Recently, he called his character Kulashekara as an “entitled, jealous, good-for-nothing, perpetually drunk idiot.”

Ask him to elaborate, and he says, “Humans like Kulashekara exist — perpetual drunks with sensitive egos. Even in our film industry, there are so many like that. If your approach is sincere, such characters will feel real. Kantara is a fantasy, but I had to give it the feeling of being real. You see glimpses of humanity in him, especially in his brief interactions with his daughter. From the film’s perspective, he’s a villain. From his perspective, he’s the beginning and end of everything — a self-indulgent person. Both views are valid.”

mid-day recently reported that after people showed up in theatres dressed up as Daiva, Shetty urged his fans to refrain from such acts, deeming them disrespectful. Devaiah reflects, “When I saw the film, it made me feel in a way I didn’t expect, and I respected that. I support the makers’ plea. People should refrain from making it a cheap gimmick for virality.”

Long before the spotlight found them, actors Kalki Koechlin and Gulshan Devaiah connected over their love for theatre. Their bond began not on film sets, but in green rooms and after-show hangouts. Later, they shared screen space in The Girl in the Yellow Boots (2010), Shaitan (2011) and Love Affair (2016), building on that early connection. Kalki was struck by Gulshan’s “stage presence”, while he admired her “goofy authenticity”. What began as casual camaraderie has since “evolved into a deep, enduring friendship” — the kind that feels like family.

Recalling their first encounters, Kalki says, “The first time I saw Gulshan was actually in a play called Butter And Mashed Bananas. It was written and directed by Ajay Krishnan; not only was he performing, but Gulshan was very good at it.”

Gulshan adds, “When I met her in Bengaluru, while performing the play, I didn’t know who she was, as she wasn’t that famous then. There was an ease about her; she was just so chill, and there was no fuss, though we didn’t become friends immediately.”

Recalling how Kalki has been there for him without even asking, Gulshan says, “We had just moved into a studio apartment, and one day, she had an AC delivered there. She somehow figured out that I was low on finances and did what she thought was best for me.”

Recalling the memory, Kalki adds, “He didn’t have to ask. Isn’t that how friendship works?”

On her fondest memory, Kalki recalls a house party they attended together, sharing, “We were once at a house party, and as soon as the title song from the movie Fashion (2008) played, we went wild. That was when we knew we’d be friends forever.”

Gulshan reflects, “I’ve seen her go through a lot in life. Many times, I used to worry or even disapprove of some boyfriends she had. After she separated from (filmmaker) Anurag Kashyap, there was a lot going on in her life. But then she became a mother, and it’s such a joy to see her as a mom.” He adds, “It’s beautiful to see your friends grow and mature in life.”

Kalki shares, “He’s just been there so often when I’ve been down. There have been times when I’ve stayed at their home (Gulshan and his ex-wife, Kallirroi Tziafeta). When I started dating my now-husband (Israeli classical pianist Guy Hershberg), I took 20 people to my mom’s house, and Gulshan was the one who managed everyone; he was the darling of the house.”

She continues, “We’ve gone on holidays together, seen each other through rough times, and even recently, he showed up at one of my interviews as a surprise.

Kalki says that over the years, the bond between the two has only evolved for the better: “When you’re young, friendship is about going to parties, and now it’s about people who make you feel safe, who don’t judge you.” Building on her thoughts, Gulshan adds, “We don’t need to talk daily or give gifts to each other. But I know she’s a well-wisher, and I’m there for her too; we’re those friends who show up if and when the other one needs us.”

Ask them if they have any special names for each other, Gulshan mentions: “She’s like a superhero to me and I call her Hulk-star because she’s the strongest woman I know. People think she’s carefree, but there’s a lot of character strength in her.” Kalki adds, “I call him Gullu out of my fondness for him.”

If you ask Rasika Dugal, there is nothing little about Little Thomas. She always knew that the film had a big heart, and now it turns out, it comes with big rewards too. The Anurag Kashyap-produced movie, starring Gulshan Devaiah and Dugal, has earned three nominations — Best Actor for the leads, and Best Debut Film for director Kaushal Oza — at the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) 2025. 

Dugal is delighted to be recognized for her performance in the slice-of-life film that is set in Goa of the 1990s and follows the efforts of seven-year-old Thomas to bring his parents together. The actor says, “Playing Jessie Miranda was a fun experience. I am grateful that the work is being appreciated, and looking forward to the audience’s response when the film will be screened at the festival. Film festival audiences are discerning, and it’s always wonderful to receive their view of the work.”

Though Devaiah pays little attention to awards, he admits it’s gratifying to receive a nomination for “the sweetest film” in his 15-year career. “I don’t think about awards or recognition when it comes to my work; I only focus on my personal journey as an actor. [But] I loved being part of this sweet film,” he says.

Oza says he is thrilled to return to NYIFF after his short film The Miniaturist of Junagadh’s (2022) premiere at the festival. "So, this time I am delighted that Little Thomas has been nominated at the same festival for the best debut film. What really puts the cherry on the cake is the nominations for both the actors!" he says.

Actors working across regional film industries is no longer a novel concept, feels Roshan Mathew. The actor, who is currently shooting for writer-director Shahi Kabir’s second film, alongside Malayalam actor-filmmaker Dileesh Pothan tells us, “I think cross-pollination is fairly ordinary right now; I don’t think anybody looks at it as something exotic anymore. In a country like India, this opens up so many possibilities.”

The 32-year-old, who was last seen in director Sudhanshu Saria’s Ulajh, says the film felt different from his previous Hindi projects.

“How I was spoken about during Ulajh promotions was very different from the way I was spoken about when Darlings (2022) released. When Choked (2020; his Hindi debut) came out, almost every article read ‘This Malayalam actor is going to play the lead in Anurag Kashyap’s film’,” he says, adding, ”But with Ulajh, I loved how nonchalantly people just said ’This film stars Janhvi Kapoor, Gulshan Devaiah and Roshan’. The qualifier — that I come from Malayalam cinema — is not essential anymore.”

While film technicians have always worked cross-industry, Mathew muses that the language barrier might have limited actors initially. “Actors have to perform in languages they don’t necessarily understand. Fortunately for me, I know Hindi and Tamil; that’s why I worked in those industries, besides Malayalam. Now, Marathi actors are doing Malayalam films and (Tamil actor) Vijay Sethupathi has done major Bollywood films. I find it all very exciting,” he beams.

While spin-offs have been around for a long time, superhero franchises and fantasy series have recently popularized the idea of giving fan-favourite characters their own spotlight, especially on OTT platforms. The offshoot plotlines of these characters, who would otherwise get minimal screen time in big-budget blockbusters, successfully allow makers to not only satisfy the audience but also utilise world-building. Some of the popular examples of spin-off series, which already have multiple seasons in the pipeline, include Gen V (The Boys), House Of The Dragon (Game of Thrones) and The Rings Of Power (Lord of the Rings).

Even though such offshoot productions, whether as films or shows, are all the rage in the West among the makers, the trend is yet to gain momentum in India. To understand more, we speak to some Indian makers and actors for their take on its surprising absence in India, along with pros and cons of the same.

A project includes a specific number of characters, each with a unique role to play. For actor Gulshan Devaiah, who plays Chaar Cut Atmaram in the series Guns & Gulaabs, not everyone’s story needs to be highlighted in a separate spin-off, as that might take away from the original plot.

“I have no idea why we’re not doing spin-offs but I’m not sure if it’s a good trend to follow. In my case, I’d say there shouldn’t be any spin-off for Atmaram. Some characters lose their charm if there’s no mystery to them,” Devaiah shares.

Actor Sharib Hashmi, who plays JK in The Family Man series, echoes a similar sentiment and feels that spin-offs shouldn’t be made just so that the original project remains relevant. “It should only be made if there is ample scope, and should not be seen as a mere opportunity to earn money or stay relevant.” However, Hashmi is not altogether against the idea.

He continues, “I would be the happiest if my character gets a spin-off but only if there is a good story. Look at Better Call Saul (Breaking Bad), which had such a brilliant storyline, and is as good as the original.”

While original plots might leave very little room for detours, for Kanishk Varma, director of Sanak (2021) and the third season of the cricket-based thriller Inside Edge, a spin-off is a great way to immerse in the universe whose original story has reached a certain finale.

“You have to know when to throw in the towel. You cannot keep on dragging a story. So, spin-offs are a very cool idea of coming back. You have a scope of going back to a series and working on something you wanted to do in a particular season of the show.”

While offshoot productions are lacking in India, writer Kanika Dhillon, who has been behind the story of Hasseen Dillruba (2021) and the latest instalment, Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba, opines that we are soon going to catch up.

“We have already caught on to the multi-universe sequel culture, which is prevalent in Hollywood. So, I am sure spin-offs will become a thing here as well, especially since people give a lot of love to [side] characters,” she shares.

Abhishek Banerjee, whose character Hathoda Tyagi from the series Paatal Lok fetched him critical praise, adds, “A lot of characters have the potential [for a spin-off] after they become a hit with the audiences. So, I feel the audiences would definitely want that change.”

For his debut feature film Little Thomas, director Kaushal Oza agrees he has struck a dream team in lead actors Gulshan Devaiah and Rasika Dugal, as well as producer Anurag Kashyap. As the slice-of-life offering gears up for its August 19 première at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, the director says he couldn’t have asked for a better producer than Kashyap.

“Anurag is a zero-interference producer. I remember he and all the other producers had liked one piece of music, while I had liked another. Ultimately, I went with my gut. Only a producer who has also been a director can offer such freedom to the filmmaker,” says Oza.

He had an equally delightful experience with his lead actors as they joined forces to tell the story of a seven-year-old boy trying to bring his parents together. While Devaiah ensured a breezy working environment, the director praises Dugal for her hard work.

“Her character is a piano teacher, and Rasika learnt the piano for eight months so that she could play the classical pieces. She also prepared hard to get the Goan accent right. She had just come off months of Mirzapur shoot, so to be able to switch so convincingly between the two worlds took a lot of work.”

During our chat with Gulshan Devaiah, we are seated in front of a large poster of Ulajh. Looking at that, the first thing he tells us is, “It’s Janhvi’s [Kapoor] film. Her face is front and centre. She is the whole orchestra.” What then drove Devaiah to star in Sudhanshu Saria’s directorial venture?

“It’s a great story and an interesting character. Ulajh [is the film equivalent of] going to your favourite restaurant and ordering the same dish. But within that same parameter, this film offers something new. I had so many moments where I went, ‘Oh, I did not see that coming.’ Also, I don’t think I have looked this nice ever. It was Sudhanshu’s idea to get me a beard.”

Set in the world of Indian Foreign Services, the thriller boasts an impressive cast of Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang and Roshan Mathew. The coming together of so many powerful actors indicates a meritorious story. It’s natural to ask Devaiah if he will ever star in a movie where the story is great, but his character, relatively weak.

“It’s different for different movies. My favourite work is A Death In The Gunj [2017]. I was approached for the part that Ranvir Shorey played eventually. But when they insisted that I be in the film, I did the role [of Nandu]. The part should excite me and the film should be good for my career.”

Considering the actor has grown up on a diet of James Bond, the Kingsman and the Don franchises, being a part of a spy thriller was a tempting offer. Ulajh, he says, is more about smarts than style.

“My approach for this film was reading the script again and again. Also, in each character, I add something that is away from who I am. I discussed my ideas with Sudhanshu; Janhvi had some ideas for my character, and we put it all together.”

How does he feel about starring in a movie that still needs a star to front it? “Janhvi is the film’s protagonist. It’s there in the script. I don’t want to say, ‘I am very confident about my role, I am not insecure’. That’s stupid. I was intrigued to see what I can do here.” 

With Kapoor at the forefront, Ulajh also busts the myth that spy movies are a male bastion. He agrees, saying, “Female stars are capable of kicking ass and drawing audiences [to theatres]. Action is not a male-dominated genre anymore.”

Only weeks after the première of Mirzapur’s third season, Rajesh Tailang is counting the days to his next release, Ulajh. For the thriller, director Sudhanshu Saria has brought an eclectic cast together—Janhvi Kapoor, Gulshan Devaiah and Roshan Mathew hold centre-stage, ably supported by seasoned actors Adil Hussain and Tailang.

“All my co-stars in Ulajh are so sincere, and did such a good job. I don’t think I was as good an actor at their age. Roshan and Gulshan are thoughtful actors. They do a scene not just for the sake of it; they put a lot of thought and hard work behind it,” marvels Tailang.

Most of his scenes in the film are with Kapoor, whom he calls a natural in front of the camera. “She is hard-working and a natural. She is a supportive and grounded actor, which helps you as a co-star. We were all fans of her mother. You can see a glimpse of Sridevi-ji in her,” he says.

After Ulajh, Tailang will be seen in Bandish Bandits 2, a satire with Sakshi Tanwar and Gajraj Rao, and a ZEE5 series directed by Sudhir Mishra. This busy phase in his career is hard-earned. The actor, with a two-decade-plus career behind him, remembers the time when he faced repeated rejections in the industry.

“I have rejected work, but more than that, people have rejected me. But I have never been insecure because I have focused on my growth as an actor. When I didn’t have a lot of screen work, I did theatre and taught at NSD [National School of Drama]. When you work on yourself and your craft, the fragrance [of your hard work] reaches people.”

After Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota (2018), Gulshan Devaiah is playing a double role again in Bad Cop. That’s not the only similarity between the two projects. The upcoming web series is also the first time he is attempting hardcore action since the Vasan Bala-directed venture.

“After six years, I got into full-blown action sequences in Bad Cop, and it took me back to the exhilarating days of Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota. The experience of having performed [stunts] earlier gave me the confidence and the awareness to do it safely. It was immensely satisfying,” says the actor.

Considering the Aditya Datt-helmed show is high on action, Devaiah had to undergo exhaustive prep. “Most of my prep was cardiovascular. I did interval training, wherein I would do three minutes of high-intensity training in boxing rings and mix it up with a minute of relaxation.”

In Bad Cop, Devaiah plays the double role of Karan and Arjun—one is an honest cop, and the other, a thief. Both have a common enemy in Anurag Kashyap’s character Kazbe. How was the experience of sharing screen space with the filmmaker, who launched him in movies? To Devaiah, shooting an action-packed climax with Kashyap was worth all the hard work he put in. In fact, it was one of the factors that drew him to the show.

“I enjoyed shooting the action-heavy climax with Anurag. [Even otherwise], I got a lot of time to hang with him. It was a memorable experience, especially doing the action scenes with him.”

Previously, only makers and industry people in the know bothered about box-office collections. But now, the audience’s interests are piqued when a film enters the Rs. 100 crore, Rs. 200 crore or Rs. 500 crore club. It also becomes a factor in their decision to watch a film in theatres.

Not too happy by this, actor Gulshan Devaiah says, “Some publicists thought of advertising film collections. Now, even the number of views a web series garnered on a streaming platform makes news. That’s the age we are living in. We can complain or get on with it. Nobody gave two s*** about the numbers before; it used to be about the films’ cultural impact and how it made you feel.”

The 45-year-old, who was appreciated for his roles in the web shows Dahaad and Guns & Gulaabs (both 2023), believes that things can only change if the entire film industry makes a “radical change”. He adds, “People like me cannot do anything about it unless everybody [in the industry] unanimously decides to not publicise the numbers.”

However, Devaiah isn’t too optimistic that something like that will happen, and says, “I don’t think that is going to happen. Everybody sees their own advantage. Unfortunately, this is a metric and that’s the game it has become now.”

Anurag Kashyap gave Gulshan Devaiah his first break with That Girl in Yellow Boots (2010), marking the first of a satisfying creative collaboration. Fourteen years and multiple films later, the two find themselves as co-actors in the Indian adaptation of the German series, Bad Cop: Kriminell Gut (2017). Naturally, the actor is excited about sharing the frame with the filmmaker.

“Anurag has contributed a great deal to my career, and I’m eternally grateful. To share screen space with him is a happy moment for me,” says Devaiah, who plays a cop in director Aditya Datt’s series.

Over their 14-year association, the two have developed deep respect for each other’s works. Today, Devaiah admits he is more relaxed in front of Kashyap.

“He started in the ’90s, so he has a lot of understanding of how the business has transitioned. He has never interfered or advised me on [my career choices]. The only time I took his advice was when I was cast in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela [2013]. While I wasn’t sure about the role, Anurag told me I should do it. Earlier, I wouldn’t voice my opinion in front of him. Now, I am more forthcoming, and sometimes challenge his ideas.”

Actor Gulshan Devaiah is all set to star in his next web series that focuses on mental health, and it marks his first collaboration with actor Neha Dhupia. In October 2023, Dhupia confirmed that she’d mark her web debut with a series soon. The show is titled Therapy Sherapy and it’ll shed light on the subject of mental well-being in a unique way.

Making the news official, Devaiah expresses how important the subject of the show is for him. He says, “I think if every family can become a safe space for its members, then a lot of troubles that we have in this world will disappear. People will be happier, more content. The story of Therapy Sherapy is about an average middle-class family, and it brings to light these things. I’m looking forward to people making their homes and families a safe space to nurture each other, slowly and steadily.”

Devaiah also raves about Dhupia. “It was such a pleasure to do the intense and emotional scenes with Neha, who has totally hit a hundred with her part in this.” He is impressed with the child actors playing his children as well.

The actor also shares the screen with actors Seema Pahwa and Manoj Pahwa. Sharing his excitement, Devaiah says, “They are such skilled and experienced actors. It was a great joy to watch them create complex emotions with such ease. I also totally adore Girija Oak (actor), who is a multitalented artiste. I don’t know why we weren’t cast together before.”

The filming of Therapy Sherapy is currently underway. It’s being shot in Mumbai and Delhi, with the latest schedule wrapped up last month.

Gulshan Devaiah and Kallirroi Tziafeta have decided to give their relationship a second chance. After putting an end to their eight-year-long marriage in 2020, the actors recently started “dating again”.

Devaiah feels the “separation was crucial” for their bond. “We couldn’t make it work the first time around due to certain reasons. But, those circumstances are not the same anymore and neither are we,” says the Guns & Gulaabs actor.

This time, the two have decided to take it “one day at a time”. The 45-year-old says, “The most amount of planning we are doing currently is about finding nice restaurants or holiday destinations. We are both careful about not overthinking our current situation.”

For his part, Devaiah is trying to balance his personal and professional life to give time to his relationship. “Not doing that contributed greatly to the deterioration of our marriage. Moreover, I understand myself better today. Individually, we’ve both grown into better versions of ourselves,” he signs off.

Gulshan Devaiah finds himself in a comfortable position. And being the practical person that he is, he isn’t just referring to Dahaad and Guns & Gulaabs being received well.

“I limit my avenues as an actor. A lot of my contemporaries monetize their fame, which I am uncomfortable doing. As a child, I never imagined doing all this. I am trying to stay true to that image and purity. My main hustle is my career and 2023 was a good time. Financial security is important to everybody; it frees your mind. I have no liabilities or loans. I don’t owe people anything,” he smiles.

The actor feels that when a project does well, it benefits everyone involved in the project and that applies to an OTT project too. “When things are perceived as successful, it trickles down to all the people involved. The perception improves, more opportunities are created. It improves access to more things. I don’t think it’s equivalent to a Rs. 1,000 crore film, but when you have a successful film at the box office, it impacts your career, too. I am happy that I did a variety of projects,” says Devaiah, who also had a theatrical release 8 A.M. Metro this year.

While it couldn’t get enough screens, the actor remains unperturbed. “I am so thankful that the film got a theatrical release. I feel it’s very brave of the producers to decide that they will release a film on the big screen in these times. I got some wonderful comments from the viewers who watched it,” he ends.

By now, Roshan Mathew is accustomed to his films going to international festivals. Weeks after his relationship drama Paradise won accolades at Busan International Film Festival, it is set to première at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. Mathew remembers instinctively being drawn to the Malayalam-Sinhala-English film, but he also had a concern.

“I liked the script, but to me, it also felt similar to the couple’s story in my Hindi debut, Choked [2020]. There are no [striking] similarities, except that both films explored the differences between a couple. But I liked the script so much that I wanted to do it anyway,” says the actor.

A meeting with revered Sri Lankan director Prassana Vithanage was all it took to assuage his concerns. “I realized he was intending to do something so different from what I was thinking that all of my concerns were invalid. He wanted to explore the relationship between this couple and the land they end up in.”

Mathew will follow up Paradise with the Hindi offering, Ulajh. The actor, who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema, is finding his feet in Hindi movies with Choked, Darlings (2022) and the upcoming Janhvi Kapoor and Gulshan Devaiah-starrer. The choice to work across languages brings with it the opportunity to collaborate with diverse actors and tell varied stories.

“Ulajh moves at a pace that I haven’t explored before; it is an out-and-out commercial film. Gulshan is an actor, who has inspired me with several of his characters. So, I was excited about him being there. Jahnvi is a dedicated, hardworking and passionate co-actor. She was extremely prepared. It’s lovely when you know your co-actor has one priority and that is to get the best version of the scene on that day.”

While working on Bollywood projects, it hasn’t escaped him how Hindi-speaking viewers have warmed up to Malayalam cinema. “Every time I am on the set of a Hindi project, lots of people walk up to me and instantly start talking about the Malayalam films that they have watched. It’s a great feeling. Malayalam cinema is in a great phase right now,” says the actor, who has featured in acclaimed Malayalam films like Kappela, Moothon, and C U Soon.