08 January,2026 11:43 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Gulshan Devaiah
Gulshan Devaiah made his Kannada film debut in 2025 with the much-anticipated Kantara: Chapter 1. Following the scale and success of the film, the actor is now carefully considering his next steps in the Kannada film industry. However, he had earlier turned down the big-budget Kannada entertainer Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups, starring Yash.
In an interview with Screen Spotlight, Gulshan Devaiah revealed that he was offered Toxic a long time ago but chose to make his Kannada debut with Kantara instead. "They did offer me Toxic a long time ago. A lot of these offers used to come earlier as well. It's just that I started with Kantara. Geethu Mohandas and I had a long chat. She really wanted me in her film, but it didn't work out for a variety of reasons, mostly scheduling," he said.
The actor explained that Toxic was a massive project with multiple moving parts, making it difficult for him to accommodate alongside his existing commitments. "I already had things going on that I was finding hard to manage. If I had taken up another franchise-level project, it wouldn't have worked out," he added.
Earlier, rumours had suggested that Gulshan declined the role due to payment-related issues. However, the actor has now clarified through social media that reports claiming he refused the film for reasons other than scheduling conflicts are incorrect and misleading.
Gulshan Devaiah has appeared in several acclaimed projects, including Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, Ghost Stories, Badhaai Do, and Ulajh. After Kantara, he was seen in the web series Perfect Family, currently streaming on YouTube.
The actor is also set to reunite with Saiyami Kher, his co-star from 8 A.M. Metro (2023), for an upcoming short film. Shot entirely in the Mumbai suburbs using real locations, the project aims to create an intimate, lived-in atmosphere.
Gulshan is now also foraying into Tamil content with the crime drama series Legacy, directed by Charukesh Sekar and produced by Kalyan Shankar. The upcoming Netflix series explores themes of power, morality, and revenge.
