'Nobody knows what he's up to': Gulshan on Ranveer's 'Kantara' mimicry
Gulshan Devaiah, who played Kulasekhara in Kantara: Chapter 1, weighed in on Ranveer Singh's much-talked-about mimicry of the film's Chamundi Daiva scene.
"I don't know why Ranveer Singh did that. Ranveer Singh is Ranveer Singh. Nobody knows what he is up to and why," Devaiah said, adding that he has tremendous respect for director Rishab Shetty, who kept telling him not to do it.
"It is important for him. He believes in the culture, which is why he is able to pull it off."
What actually happened?
At IFFI Goa on November 28, 2025, Singh mimicked the iconic Daiva scene—calling it a "female ghost" reportedly while wearing shoes—which many saw as disrespectful to Tulu culture and sacred daiva worship.
Shetty had even asked him privately not to do it and stayed calm during the event.
Devaiah's take on respect
Devaiah shared that he tries not to let incidents like this affect him for his own peace of mind.
He emphasized respecting Shetty's devotion, especially since Kantara: Chapter 1 became India's highest-grossing film of 2025 with ₹851.93 crore worldwide.
Not the 1st time Devaiah spoke up
Earlier, Devaiah called out a fan for dressing as Daiva at a Tamil Nadu screening, calling it a "cheap gimmick."
The filmmakers have also urged fans not to imitate characters from the movie in public.