TWENTY FACTS ABOUT THE 2002 FILM AND LEGACY OF THE TIMELESS NOVEL THAT INSPIRED IT
This week marks the 20-year anniversary of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali directed Bollywood film Devdas, which released globally on July 12, 2002, and became a blockbuster success.
The highest grossing Bollywood film of that year starred Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Madhuri Dixit in iconic lead roles, which brought the classic 1917 novel to the big screen in a larger-than-life way never seen before.
To mark two decades of the musical about a lovelorn alcoholic, Eastern Eye presents 20 fun facts about the film and the enduring legacy of a novel that has had so many cinema adaptations across the decades.
1. Bengali romance novel Devdas was written by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee and first published on June 30, 1917, and according to legend, it was based on his own life.
2. There have been 20 film adaptations of the novel in various languages, with the first being a 1928 silent movie.
Dilip Kumar
3. The first talkie version of Devdas was made in Bengali with PC Barua directing and playing the title role in 1935. A year later, Barua would direct the first definitive Bollywood version with KL Saigal playing the lead role. Bimal Roy, who did the cinematography for that 1936 film, would later direct the 1955 version with Dilip Kumar playing the title role.
4. The first Telugu film adaptation of the classic novel was Devadasu (1953), which extraordinarily spawned the direct sequel Devadasu Malli Puttadu (1978), which picks up where the original story ends and imagines what happened next. It has Parvathi staying alive, while Devdas and Chandramukhi get reincarnated so they can unite.
5. Look carefully at all-time classic Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), and there is a sub-plot where the character played by Guru Dutt is directing a film titled Devdas, with Waheeda Rehman playing Paro.
6. The first Pakistani version of Devdas was made in 1965 with Habib, Shamim Ara and Nayyar Sultana playing the three main protagonists. There was another Pakistani version made in 2010, which is available in full on YouTube.
7. Director Prakash Mehra had wanted to make a version of Devdas in 1976 with Amitabh Bachchan in the title role but shelved the idea. He instead produced Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) with Bachchan in the lead and took multiple elements from the story. In fact, Madhuri Dixit compared her role in Devdas to the courtesan played by Rekha in that film.
Dev.D
8. In the 1970s, writer-director Gulzar commenced shooting his own version of Devdas with Dharmendra, Hema Malini, and Sharmila Tagore in the lead roles, but the film was abandoned shortly after it commenced shooting due to financial problems. In 2009, Dharmendra’s nephew Abhay Deol played the role in contemporary version Dev.D.
9. Salman Khan had starred in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s first two films Khamoshi: The Musical (1996) and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) and was reportedly upset at not being given the title role in his third directorial outing Devdas.
10. Manisha Koirala and Sushmita Sen were both considered for the role of Chandramukhi, which eventually went to Madhuri Dixit. It would be her last role before a long sabbatical from Bollywood.
11. Manoj Bajpayee, Saif Ali Khan, and Govinda were offered the role of Chunni Babu, but all of them declined and Jackie Shroff was eventually signed.
12. Kareena Kapoor screen tested for the role of Paro, but first choice Aishwarya Rai was given the role.
Kaahe Chhed Mohe
13. The 2002 Devdas had some of the most expensive sets and outfits in Hindi cinema history. The outfit worn by Madhuri Dixit in the song Kahe Chedd Mohe weighed 30 kilograms, which caused obvious problems in the dance choreography, but she managed.
14. Bollywood’s greatest singer of the modern era, Shreya Ghoshal made her debut with Devdas. She had been spotted on a reality TV show and was brought in to sing five tracks. The then teenage sensation became the first singer to win both the Filmfare and National Film Awards for a debut song (Bairi Piya).
Dola Re Dola
15. Dola Re Dola is widely regarded as one of the greatest dance numbers in Bollywood history. Choreographer Saroj Khan used the dance form Nautwary, which included steps of Kathak and Bharatnatyam for the eye-catching song picturised on Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit.
16. Devdas was the first big commercial Bollywood film to have a huge red-carpet premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2002. That moment would open the doors for Indian celebrities to attend the annual festival in a big way, including lead star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan attending a record-breaking number of times.
17. Devdas was India’s official entry in the foreign-language film category of the 2003 Academy Awards, but it didn’t receive a nomination. It did however get nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
18. A low budget Bengali version of Devdas was released the same year as Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s lavish epic, where no expense was spared.
19. The 2002 version of Devdas swept the boards at all the major award ceremonies. This included 11 trophies at the Filmfare Awards and five National Awards.
20. Hollywood star Tom Hiddleston said he had watched Bhansali’s Devdas at his local cinema: “I remember I going to see that at my local cinema, and it was so extraordinary. I would say that I have never seen anything like that. So, yeah I remember that very much.”
AN ASIAN writer has explained how his new book makes Britain’s imperial past “accessible, engaging and thought-provoking” for a younger audience.
Award-winning author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera’s new book, Journeys of Empire, explores empire through 10 journeys he described as being “extraordinary”. Sanghera said his book, published last month by Puffin UK, is “a way of helping children understand how Britain’s biggest story still shapes the world today.”
“We’re not taught this history very well,” he told Eastern Eye.
“The empire is morally complex – sometimes we were good, sometimes bad – so, how do you even begin talking about it? It’s also contentious. There are millions of us whose families were colonised, and millions whose families were the colonisers.”
Teachers cannot teach what they themselves were never taught, Sanghera pointed out.
“There are multiple layers to why British people are so bad at talking about this history. It touches on race, misogyny and geopolitics. It’s easier just not to talk about it.”
And , the cover of his book
Following the success of his bestselling children’s title Stolen History, Sanghera’s this latest work continues Sanghera’s mission to write for readers aged nine and above. With a focus on human experiences, Sanghera said he wanted show that history is not just a list of dates or conquests – it’s a tapestry of stories that connect people.
Born in Wolverhampton to Punjabi immigrant parents, he began school unable to speak English. Later he graduated with first-class honours in English language and literature from Christ’s College, Cambridge.
He has since built a career as a writer and journalist.
His memoir, The Boy with the Topknot, and his novel, Marriage Material, were both shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards. Empireland, Sanghera’s exploration of Britain’s colonial legacy, was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non- Fiction, named a Book of the Year at the 2022 National Book Awards, and inspired the Channel 4 documentary series Empire State of Mind.
His first children’s book, Stolen History, introduced young readers to the complex and often overlooked realities of empire. With Journeys of Empire, Sanghera aims to go further. “When I finally learned about the British empire, it changed how I saw myself, how I saw Britain, and how I saw India,” he said.
“It seemed obvious that you’d want to give this gift to young people – because your 40s is a bit late to be learning all this.”
Sanghera said the 10 journeys in the book take readers across continents and centuries, revealing both the ambition and the brutality of empire.
“The British empire covered a quarter of the world’s surface and a large portion of its population. It was seven times the size of the Roman empire,” he said.
Aiming to ensure diversity in both perspective and geography, Sanghera said he chose stories from various countries and different phases of the 400-year history.
Alongside India and Mahatma Gandhi, readers will learn about Guyana’s indentured labour system, Gertrude Bell’s adventures in Iraq, and the British invasion of Tibet led by Francis Younghusband.
“I wanted to highlight areas often left out of mainstream narratives,” the writer said. The stories are written with an accessible and honest tone, and with humour.
“Violence is a tricky area,” Sanghera said. “You can’t go into graphic detail, but you also shouldn’t whitewash it. The violence and racism of colonialism were intrinsic. “I tried to strike a balance - acknowledging the brutality without overwhelming young readers.”
Writing for children isn’t much different from writing for adults, Sanghera said.
“You still need engaging stories and to hold attention. The main thing is to avoid big words that might put them off.”
He pointed out how storytelling can counter the allure of digital screens.
“Kids are addicted to screens, and reading rates are falling globally. That’s disastrous for mental health, intellectual development, and politics,” he said.
“When you get news from screens, you’re in an echo chamber – you’re not being challenged or taught to think in a nuanced way.”
Sanghera’s hope is that stories of Journeys of Empire – from pirates to princes and explorers to rebels – will draw in young readers to a world of curiosity and reflection. He said, “The British empire is a complex story. Even the ‘good guys’ had flaws. That’s what makes it worth understanding.”
At the heart of his book is a message about complexity and contradiction. “The empire involved slavery and the abolition of slavery. It caused environmental destruction and inspired environmentalism. We live in a world that struggles with nuance, but that’s what makes us human,” Sanghera said.
“My hope is that readers – kids and adults – learn that opposite things can be true at the same time.”
After six years of writing about empire, Sanghera said he’s ready for a change. His next book will focus on the late pop star George Michael, due out in June next year.
“I thought George Michael would be a nice break from empire. But then I learned that his father came from Cyprus - which was under British rule. The reason he left Cyprus was because of the British. So, even George Michael’s story connects back to empire. You can’t escape it, wherever you go.”
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.