From Thappad to Deva, Pavail Gulatie has established his acting range - from a socially-driven film to an out-and-out action drama. In a recent conversation, Pavail Gulatie spoke about his transition from Thappad to Deva, audience reaction to his films, and his interest in exploring the comedy space even further. As the audience got to see him in a whole new space in Deva, Pavail says, “It’s a bit strange, I suppose. Deva is my first action film, and everybody’s been fantastic about it. I wasn’t sure how they’d react to seeing me hit people up rather than having big deep emotional debates.” He adds, “The preparation started months before we shot. I had to get stronger, leaner. I was working out like a beast, combat training, and a strict diet. And yeah, I did a lot of my own stunts. That was half fear and half exhilaration.” Speaking about the drastic change that happened from Thappad to Deva, Pavail says, “I’ve always been fascinated by sports — there’s discipline in movement, in timing. Action sequences are choreographed a lot like dance, you know? They’re rehearsed and very expressive. It’s not just about the brawn. There’s a feeling in the punches too.”
Expressing about public reaction, Pavail says, “Thappad turned everything around. People didn’t know how to see me afterwards — even if they didn’t accept my role,” he laughs. “But Deva proved to them that I could be the man who leads into harm rather than creates it.”
“After Thappad, I would be getting messages that would start with, ‘I hated you in that film…’ Now it’s, ‘Hello, when are you making the next action film?’ And yeah, the lady fans have gotten a little more outspoken — but thank you!” he says about the shifting reaction among fans.
Pavail has been lucky enough to have worked with some of the fine directors, including Anubhav Sinha, Anurag Kashyap, and Roshan Andrews. Expressing gratitude towards them, he says “Each of them, in their own way, taught me to respect the craft. The advice I cherish most? Remain grounded. Keep your eyes on the work, not the noise.”
After having thrilled everyone with Deva, audiences are eager to see Pavail Gulatie on the screens yet again. They are curious to know about his next pick, whether it would be a rom-com, a thriller, an action flick, or a socially-driven spectacle. With the excitement surrounding his next release, Pavail has left his audience waiting for an official announcement.