Gulshan Devaiah, who portrayed King Kulashekhara in Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Ranveer Singh’s recreation of the film’s powerful Daiva sequence. In a candid conversation with NDTV, the actor said such moments often stem from excitement and believes the issue should now be put to rest, especially since Ranveer has already apologised.
Gulshan Devaiah on the Ranveer Singh Daiva scene backlash
Addressing the criticism faced by Ranveer, Gulshan acknowledged that while his opinion may not align with popular sentiment, he personally isn’t deeply affected by such incidents. However, he stressed that it’s important to respect how others feel.
“My personal views are not popular views. I really don't get affected by such things so much. But if somebody feels disrespected or something, I understand. Ranveer apologised as well. Let's take it with that. I don't know what his intent was - only he knows. We all make mistakes when we get excited, and that scene in the film was so integral and really affected us. It was very 'romanchak (interesting),’” Gulshan said.
He further explained that the Daiva tradition holds deep cultural significance for the Tulu community, making the reaction understandable. “I think it is part of certain people's identity - those who belong to the Tulu community and live in that land. It's part of their identity. They feel it is disrespectful to their culture, and that's fine. From their perspective, it is correct. These things don't affect me that much. But at the same time, since he apologised, we should just accept it and move on,” he added.
Ranveer Singh’s apology after facing criticism
Following the backlash, Ranveer took to social media to issue a clarification and apology. In his note, he said, “My intention was to highlight Rishab's incredible performance in the film. Actor to actor, I know how much it takes to perform that particular scene the way he did, for which he has my utmost admiration. I have always deeply respected every culture, tradition, and belief in our country. If I've hurt anyone's sentiments, I sincerely apologise.”
What sparked the controversy
The incident occurred during the closing ceremony of IFFI 2025, which Rishab Shetty also attended. Ranveer went on stage and recreated Rishab’s Daiva act from Kantara. During the moment, he mistakenly referred to the daivas as ‘ghosts’.
In a video from the event, Ranveer was heard saying, “I watched Kantara Chapter 1 in theatres, and Rishab, it was an outstanding performance, especially when the female ghost (Chamundi daiva) enters your body — that shot was amazing.” He then went on to imitate the scene, despite Rishab reportedly having asked him earlier not to. The act was criticised online, with many calling it insensitive and disrespectful to Tulu traditions.