Mumbai Dec 5 : Actor Gulshan Devaiah has consistently proven his acting prowess with every project he has taken on.

The actor, who has carved his own path in the industry without any godfather and become a source of inspiration for many outsiders, shared with IANS who has been his biggest influence in life.

â??Manoj Bajpayee is my hero!â?? said Gulshan, talking to IANS. â??Seeing him gave me hope that something good could happen in life,â?? he added. The actor further said, â??You no longer have to be the stereotypical dancing, lip-syncing kind of hero. Of course, there have been actors like Nana Patekar, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, and even Amol Palekar to some extent. But at an age when it really mattered to me, it was Manoj Bajpayee who made the impact. I discovered him, and he became a great inspiration. Suddenly, he was that light bulb I needed in my life.â??

For the uninitiated, Manoj Bajpayee has been a part of the industry for almost three decades. From movies like Kaun, Shool, Satya and the recent OTT series Family Man, Manoj has always managed to select roles that have challenged him as an actor

Talking about Gulshan, the actor who has impressed audiences with his acting skills, while talking to IANS, maintained that while it is difficult to sustain in the industry without a godfather or a strong connection, it is definitely not impossible. The actor, without mincing words, spoke his heart out over the forever â??Insider and Outsiderâ?? debate.

Speaking passionately about the whole nepotism debate, Gulshan slammed the actors whining over losing work to â??insidersâ??. â??Everybody has their advantages. We conveniently forget our own advantage and privilege, the privilege we have over millions of people who are less privileged, and we start crying about those who are more privileged than us, said Gulshan while talking to IANS.

â??It is rubbish. I am sick and tired of it. Stop complaining. I am not saying put up with injustice, but stop cribbing about this kind of trivial nonsense and put in the work,â?? he added. Gulshan added that the nature of showbiz is inherently competitive, unpredictable, and often unfair, but that is the very foundation of the industry. â??Accept the nature of the business. That is the nature of the business. Are you prepared for it? Only then come to the industry; otherwise, get lost. Do something else.â??

The actor, further emphasising the importance of humility and consistent effort, the only secret to achieving goals, said that every artist believes they deserve better, but entitlement is never the answer. â??Who the hell are you to think that you deserve better?â?? questioned Gulshan. â??Keep your head down, work, and hope for the best. There are so many things you can do instead of whining and cribbing and this nepotism nonsense. It never bothers me, and it should never bother anybody.â??

Currently, the actor is currently receiving a great response for his recently released show The Perfect Family, which also stars National Crush Girija Oak opposite him. The series highlights the mental health stigma prevailing in almost every Indian household. The show has been lauded for its sensitive storytelling and powerful performances.

The Perfect Family, along with Gulshan Devaiah, also stars Seema Pahwa, Manoj Pahwa, Neha Dhupia, and Girija Oak and has been produced by Pankaj Tripathi and Ajay Rai and directed by Sachin Pathak.

/IANS