Gulshan Devaiah says navigating career with marriage ’emotionally affected’ him, reveals why he’s dating his ex-wife: ‘Not taking it for granted’

The change in Gulshan’s relationship status isn’t on an impulse. The actor reveals overcoming an exhausting emotional low to reach a stage today where he sees things clearly, especially his career. Gulshan tied the knot in 2012–a year after his breakout Shaitan–and had seven releases till the pandemic, which had varied results at the box office.

“It was challenging,” Gulshan tells Indianexpress.com as he talks about balancing the highs and lows of his career while being married. “I was ill-equipped, I had to learn so much more about the business. If people didn’t like a film, I was a part of, it had started to emotionally affect me.

“I needed to find ways to prevent that from happening. People would appreciate my work, but the film would be ok or did average business or if it didn’t do well at all, it was emotionally affecting me.”

 

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The actor says an approach like this can create “complications for people in their personal lives,” which is what happened with him. The film business, by nature, is volatile, and the pressure of how a bad film will lead to work drying up started consuming Gulshan.

“There is already a lot of pressure and disappointment that you are dealing with and processing. I felt I needed more time for that, which gave me little time for anything else. I was consumed with all those things. There is a price you have to pay. Being an actor is a bit self-centered, which one has to be I feel. At least I have to be.

“So I don’t have enough time for friends or family, because I tend tp focus on my craft and career. If you are in a stable job, you don’t have to think about these things too much. When you are unsure when the next job is coming, or if it is coming at all, then there are some calculations. You have to deal with those consequences and that creates instability, which takes a lot of energy and time.”

Gulshan Devaiah and Kallirroi Tziafeta. (Photo: Kallirroi Tziafeta/Instagram).

The actor says he started to feel better only once he “stopped caring” about the result of his films. Interestingly, his recent theatrical release Ulajh — headlined by Janhvi Kapoor — opened to negative reviews and tanked at the box office.

But today, Gulshan feels slightly different, with Kallirroi by his side. “It is a new me, but it is nice. I don’t want to take anything for granted. We are back together, but it doesn’t mean, ‘Oh all is well.’ There is a sense of balance (in career) but it is still not stable.

“Instability is still there, which is the nature of the business. I have to accept the fact that it is going to be like this, that if I don’t grow, I will be irrelevant. Because there will always be someone new. I remember 2011 was my year, people would meet me with such excitement. Then next year Ayushmann came, and people would meet him! Then Vicky Kaushal came! So that doesn’t stay,” he concludes.