Shah Rukh Khan recently made headlines at the 77th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, where he was honoured with the prestigious Pardo alla Carriera award, or Career Leopard, for his immense contribution to cinema. The award marks a significant achievement, making him the first Indian personality to receive this honour. At the event, SRK added to the excitement by announcing that his production company, Red Chillies Entertainment, has acquired the rights to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2002 epic, Devdas. This revelation came during a masterclass he conducted at the festival, just moments before the screening of the film, which also stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit Nene, and Jackie Shroff.
“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,” Shah Rukh Khan announced, expressing his deep satisfaction with this acquisition.
Reflecting on the film’s enduring legacy, Shah Rukh shared insights into the monumental task of bringing this epic love story to life. With over 18 film adaptations already in existence, including the iconic version starring Dilip Kumar, the pressure on Khan and the team to deliver a fresh and compelling interpretation was immense. “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,” he noted. Despite the widespread perception that the story might be outdated, given India’s cultural shift toward more modern and commercial cinema, SRK was determined to take on the role. “By the time Sanjay Leela Bhansali wanted to make this film, I think the general sentiment in India was that it felt outdated. The country was undergoing a cultural shift towards a more liberalized mindset, with audiences increasingly gravitating towards lighter, commercial fare like college musicals,” he explained.
Shah Rukh also opened up about the significant challenges the film’s production faced, including severe financial constraints and extensive delays. Yet, despite these hurdles, he found the experience deeply fulfilling, particularly because the project was a tribute to his late mother, who had a deep affection for the original story. “It was the most expensive film being made in India, so it went through its own share of troubles. Money issues, and producers vanishing, we had to complete the film in a few days. It went overtime, over budget, but I had a great time doing the film because I felt it was kind of a tribute… memory to my mother who loved the film. A lot of actors in Mumbai told me not to do the film. ‘This is not your zone. You are more pop culture’. But I really wanted to do this because it was some kind of fulfilling of an unfinished dream and for my mother’s love.”
The actor also shared that he showed the film to the legendary Dilip Kumar, who appreciated their efforts. “I give all the credit to the director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali,” SRK concluded.
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