Fight for yourself

Pavail Gulati

Action entertainers are not easy to pull off. Pavail Gulati knew this as he joined the cast of Deva, starring Shahid Kapoor and Pooja Hegde. True to his style, Malayalam director Rosshan Andrrews has envisioned his maiden Hindi film as a gritty action fare. While Gulati was given the option of using body doubles for his stunts, we hear the actor decided to pull them off on his own. A source tells mid-day, "There were some challenging scenes that included hand-to-hand combat for which Rosshan sir initially considered hiring a body double. But the actor insisted on doing them. He felt that a body double's work would look inauthentic. Since he has attained a brawny physique for the role, Pavail was certain that he could pull off the stunts." The actor will train with the stunt directors before an elaborate sequence is shot in Mumbai next week.

Shahid Kapoor and Rosshan Andrrews

It is heard that Gulati plays a volatile cop in Deva, his first action film. The actor, who has shot two set-pieces so far, is relishing the experience. He says, "As someone who has always been drawn to the action genre and loves sports, I felt compelled to immerse myself in the physical demands of the role. Performing my own stunts was both a daunting and rewarding experience, allowing me to fully become my character."