Gulshan Devaiah on his awkward night at SRK's Mannat, 'I felt uncomfortable the whole time'

Actor Gulshan Devaiah has opened up about an unforgettable evening at Shah Rukh Khan’s residence, Mannat, where he attended a star-studded after-party hosted by the Bollywood superstar and his wife, Gauri Khan. Despite the warm welcome, the “Hunterrr” and “Guns & Gulaabs” actor admitted he felt “uncomfortable” and “out of place” at the glittering event. Speaking to Bollywood Bubble, Gulshan revisited the incident from 2012, when the Filmfare nominations were announced. He recalled that while his nomination was expected but not revealed at the event, Shah Rukh Khan personally invited him and his wife, Kallirroi Tziafeta, along with filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and actress Kalki Koechlin, to an afterparty at his Bandra bungalow.

“Anurag and Kalki were hesitant at first, but Shah Rukh insisted and asked them to bring me along as well,” Gulshan said. However, what was supposed to be a glamorous night soon turned into a moment of introspection for the actor. “I stayed there for about three hours and I was very uncomfortable during the whole time. I felt like I didn’t belong there,” he admitted.

“Everyone from Karan Johar to Farhan Akhtar and Vidhu Vinod Chopra was present, and I felt completely out of place among all these big names.” Despite the unease, Gulshan fondly remembered Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan as “incredibly gracious hosts” who went out of their way to make him feel welcome. “They were very sweet to me, even though it’s not their job to make me feel comfortable,” he added.

The actor also recalled finding solace in a conversation with Australian actor Joel Edgerton, who was also attending the bash. “He was really friendly, and I think I felt comfortable around him because he too was an outsider at that party,” Gulshan shared.

Addressing old rumours that he had “gatecrashed” Mannat, the “Badhaai Do” actor set the record straight, “I didn’t barge in; I was invited. Agar Shah Rukh Khan ke ghar main ghusa hota toh abhi jail mein hota. Some journalist must have heard the word ‘gatecrash’ for the first time and decided to use it,” he said with a laugh.

While the evening was uncomfortable at the time, Gulshan said it became a valuable life lesson about belonging and confidence in Bollywood. “Those people are all high achievers. That night made me aware of my own insecurities. It taught me that I should feel like I belong wherever life takes me,” he added.

On the work front, Gulshan Devaiah was recently seen in “Kantara: Chapter 1”, where he played the role of King Kulashekhara. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan is gearing up for his next action thriller, “King”, directed by Siddharth Anand, featuring Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Abhishek Bachchan. (Agencies)

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