Exclusive! Dahaad actor Gulshan Devaiah gets emotional as he reveals that his mother is paralysed and bedridden

Gulshan Devaiah feels that he owes his life to his mother. While talking to OTTplay on the occasion of Mother’s Day, the actor got emotional as he revealed that his mother is paralysed and bedridden. Gulshan said that despite the challenges she faced, his 73-year-old mother raised him singlehandedly, paid for his education, built a house, and gave him the freedom to spread his wings.

Excerpts from an exclusive candid conversation with the Dahaad actor...

What kind of films do you like to watch with your mother?

I love to watch just about anything and everything with my mother. She loves watching my films. There are times when I am not able to watch my shows, so we watch them together later. I will be visiting my mother in a few days, so I will watch Dahaad with her since I haven’t watched it yet. She wants to watch my film 8 AM Metro as well (which is releasing in theatres). My mother is bedridden; she is handicapped, so she can't go to theatres. So, I will be requesting that the director send me the screeners.

What is the one thing that your mother always scolded you for when you were a child?

I wasn’t interested in studying, so she would often scold me for that. She never hit me as such, but she was very particular about my studies. She used to help me prepare for my exams. She would scold me and say, ‘Dhyan do padhai pe.’ For everything else, my dad was there to scold me.

What is that one dish that your mother makes that you absolutely love?

What I love best is when she puts her hand on my forehead. She hasn't been able to cook for me for a long time, because she is paralysed. It’s been 20–25 years. But I remember that she used to bake a cake for me on my birthday every year. I have never tasted a cake like hers anywhere else. She doesn’t bake anymore, but I will always remember that. I still remember the taste. Her hands don’t work now, but it still reminds me of those good old days. 

Are there any qualities that you have imbibed from your mother?

My mother is a fighter, and that is something that she has taught me to be. She used to sit next to me and help me with my homework and during exams. She paid for my entire education. She built our house and another flat as well. She was in a situation where people would usually just lie in hospital beds, but not my mother. She did all this. She even earns money through that house. She doesn’t take a single penny from me, and she is 73 years old! My father is 76. They don’t take money from me. Whenever I spend on them, my mother returns the money to me. This takes a lot of strength. I do not know how she did it or under what circumstances. However, if I had this kind of strength, I would overcome any kind of challenge in life. I think of my mother whenever I am going through a difficult time.

Is there anything else that you find special about your mother?

When I moved out, she never held me back, asking who would take care of her. She supported my dreams of being an actor. Even today, she doesn’t call me to her house. But I love spending time with her. I want the kind of strength and determination that she has. I am here only because of her. I am an only child, and yet she didn’t let me take the load of it all. I never felt pressure to run the family. I am so grateful, because this is my privilege. My mother has given me this life to live with freedom.