Hunter is not at all about titillation - Gulshan Devaiah

Gulshan Devaiah will soon be seen playing a womanizer in debutant film-maker Harshavardhan Kulkarni’s film, Hunter. The movie which talks about a man’s inordinate and insatiable desire to have sex with many women has Gulshan playing the lead role of Mandar Ponkshe and Radhika Apte and Marathi actress Sai Tamhankar as his female leads. In an exclusive chat with Tellychakkar.com, Gulshan tells us more about the ‘hunt’ that one will get to see in Hunter. 

The trailer suggests that the movie is bold. Were you apprehensive at any point before signing the film?

Not at all. I liked the script the moment I read it and I felt I could work well with Harshvardhan (Kulkarni). We hit it off on the first day of narration itself. The movie reminded me of the 70s when Amol Palekar used to make films for the common man. At that time, you had a lot of glamorous heroes like Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra. In the midst of all those superstars, we had Amol Palekar who was like the epitome of the middleclass. I found that connect in Hunter as well. The protagonist of the movie, Mandar Ponkshe is ordinary but sweet and he loves living a life which most people envy. So I found that interesting and hence I did it.

Would you call this a typical Bollywood movie?

It’s difficult to be objective over what kind of a film this is because I have been associated with it for so long. But the objective of making this film is to entertain. If people want to take something more than what they want to, it is their problem. We are not saying anything.

How bold is the movie in terms of sex and exposure?

As bold as it is allowed to be. The movie is about sex but not about eroticism. It doesn’t show women in a degrading manner. There are no vulgar item numbers. There is no titillation. It is a realistic setting and the story is told in a realistic manner and is about a real and ordinary person who likes to have sex with many women and what he does to achieve that.

Like a sex addict?

He is not an addict. He just likes sex and does it more than other people.

But isn't that called addiction?

No. When we say sex addiction, it means a slightly diseased form where it becomes a psychological problem. Mandar Ponkshe has no psychological problem. He just wants to have sex with many women. It’s a physical need for him.

Is the movie’s name Hunter derived from the famous porn stars, Rocco & Hunter?

(Laughs)I don’t think so. Yes, you are relating porn to sex here because it is about a guy who likes to have sex with many women but trust me; there are no elements of pornography in the movie.

So why Hunter?

Hunter because he hunts. In Mumbai, there is a term called Vasu or Vasugiri which is given to people who have sex with multiple women. But then that term would have been just Mumbai specific.

How has your wife reacted to this role of yours?

(Smiles) She’s seen the film and liked it. She said I look very cute in the movie.