Devdas (2002)

Interesting facts

• Based on: Devdas
• Awards: 44 · Nominations: 21. Including: IIFA Award for Best Sound Recording; National Film Award for Best Costume Design; National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment; IIFA Award for Best Costume Design

Devdas is a 2002 Indian Hindi-language epic historical romance drama directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali who co-wrote the screenplay with Prakash Ranjit Kapadia adapted from the Bengali-language 1917 novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. It stars Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit in lead roles, with Jackie Shroff, Kirron Kher, Smita Jaykar, and Vijayendra Ghatge in supporting roles. The film narrates the story of Devdas Mukherjee (Khan), a wealthy law graduate who returns from London to marry his childhood friend, Parvati "Paro" (Rai).

Production

Devdas is the third Hindi remake of the 1917 Bengali novel of the same name by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, following the 1936 and 1955 versions. The director Sanjay Leela Bhansali read the novel for a second time and decided to adapt it.

Bhansali, who had wanted to make a film that has grandeur and grace, spoke of his love to the film "as much as Devdas loved his Paro. I have put more sincerity and passion into Devdas than my other two films [Khamoshi: The Musical (1996) and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)] put together".

The first news about Devdas appeared in an article written by Bhawana Somaaya for The Hindu in November 1999. It was produced (and financed) by the industrialist Bharat Shah under his production company, Mega Bollywood. The screenplay was written by Bhansali with Gujarati playwright and television series writer Prakash Ranjit Kapadia, who also wrote the dialogue.

Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Madhuri Dixit were cast as the lead actors. At the same time when the film's first report appeared, it was reported that Bhansali tried to offer Dixit the role of Chandramukhi, a part written specifically for her. She declined it because of her marriage to the cardiovascular surgeon Shriram Madhav Nene on 17 October 1999, but eventually accepted it in September 2000.

Devdas marked the third film between Khan and Rai, after the romantic films Josh (2000) and Mohabbatein (2000). The former features as Devdas, a Bachelor of Law student who later being an alcoholic, which was originally offered to Salman Khan. Bhansali approached him in February 2000, following the release of Khan's Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000).

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