‘Devdas’ Rights Acquired by Shah Rukh Khan, Announced at Locarno Screening

During a recent appearance at the Locarno Film Festival, Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan announced that Red Chillies Entertainment, his production company, has secured the rights to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2002 film “Devdas.” Khan, who starred in the film, made the revelation while accepting a career achievement award and participating in a masterclass.

Khan shared the news during a special screening of the film, expressing pride in the acquisition. “We as a production company bought the rights of this film back, and I’m very, very proud that it belongs to our company now,” he said to the audience.

The 2002 adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 1917 novel joins a long tradition of interpretations, with Khan noting, “By the time I got to see the film, I think they’d made 18 films based on the same novel, or 20, and lots of other plays and songs.”

The story chronicles Devdas Mukherjee, a wealthy law graduate who returns to marry his childhood love, Paro, only to face rejection due to class differences. His subsequent downfall into alcoholism and the tragic love triangle with courtesan Chandramukhi forms the crux of the tale.

Khan reflected on the impact of earlier adaptations, particularly the 1955 version directed by Bimal Roy and starring Dilip Kumar. He acknowledged the skepticism surrounding Bhansali’s remake in 2002, noting a shift in audience preferences towards more modern, popcorn entertainment.

The actor also discussed the film’s elaborate production design and costume challenges. “I had never done a film with such intricate Indian garb,” he said, describing difficulties with period costumes. Khan credited Bhansali’s vision and the performances of Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit, as well as Jackie Shroff’s role, for the film’s success.

“Devdas” earned international acclaim, screening at Cannes and receiving a BAFTA nomination. Khan described it as a “modern-day masterpiece,” highlighting its dramatic and opulent portrayal of Indian cinema.

“It actually does define a lot of Indian cinema [through] its opulence and its beauty, and its larger than life-ness, its theatrics,” he said. Khan expressed gratitude for the film’s enduring appeal, noting its special place among his career highlights.