Bejoy Nambiar's film Shaitan, which is touted as showing the dark side of the life of Mumbai youngsters, doesn't intend to have shock value to grab attention, says actor Gulshan Devaiya.
"I don't think we have done anything, which would have a shock value. It was scripted and it was in a flow. If it turns out something is shocking, then its ok but it's not done intentionally to shock people or to grab attention," Gulshan told in an interview.
Produced by filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, Shaitan traces the life of five youngsters from Mumbai's urban scape and how in covering up an accident, these intelligent, good looking and "uber-cool" youngsters had to dig out the flip side of their character that lurks within.
"I don't think it's intended to show Mumbai in a different perspective, but it wanted to show how young people who live a very fast paced life in the city. It's also shows how young people are adapting themselves with the new Mumbai," said Gulshan.
He was initially offered the role of the police officer played by actor Rajiv Khandelwal but he had failed to impress Nambiar in the audition, he revealed.
"I was first called for the role of Mathur the cop, played by Rajiv Khandelwal. He wanted to shoot a scene with me and see if I fit the role. I think Rajiv Khandelwal was busy and was unable to give him time. So he was considering me.
"I shot for whole one day. It was a very tiring shot. I had to spend the whole day with a big moustache. I don't think he was really happy with how the shot came out and said he will let me know," said Gulshan.
Actress Kalki Koechlin, who has also worked with him in theatres and later in Kashyap's The Girl in Yellow Boots, then suggested his name to Nambiar for the role of KC.
"Kalki suggested my name for KC, because he hadn't finalised on the cast. So I took the scene, prepared for it and was auditioned. Again Bejoy Nambiar didn't call me. So I called because I was getting jittery. He confirmed me and that's how I got the role," said Gulshan, who has a long association with Kalki since his theatre days.
Gulshan himself was also more inclined towards the role he grabbed than that he was offered initially.
"Personally, I feel that Mathur's character is the best of the film but somehow I was instinctively drawn towards KC because I thought it would be a nice role, I would enjoy playing KC. So when I shot for Mathur I couldn't give my 100 per cent. I was somehow fantasizing the role of KC," said Gulshan.
The actor was enticed to do play KC because it's a very edgy role but he personally doesn't identify with the character at all.
"I am not like KC at all. I don't like too many people around, going to nightclubs, all this loud music, I don't do drugs, I don't even smoke though I occasionally enjoy my drinks. I didn't find the role difficult I found it interesting. I wanted to do it," he said.
The theatre actor had also played a small role in Rohan Sippy's recent release Dum Maro Dum and is again to be seen as a undercover gangster in The Girl in Yellow Boots.
Though he played grey characters in three consecutive films, Gulshan made a conscious effort to keep each of them radically discrete from each other.
"My character Ricky in Dum Maaro Dum is of a peddler and I played a gangster in 'The Girl in Yellow Boots' but I didn't draw any reference from any of my previous characters. I tried to keep KC as far away as possible in terms of look, speaking and walking style. I try to keep all the character as far away from me as possible. That's why I don't do TV commercials, because they want you as you are. It's very boring," said Gulshan.