Shahrukh Khan on the ‘negative side’ of Devdas: Started drinking after the film
Shahrukh Khan shared information about playing the character of Devdas in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2002 film. He reflected on his approach, the challenges he faced and his motivations behind taking on the iconic role.
Shahrukh Khan recently talked about his experience of playing the iconic role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2002 film Devdas.
Shah Rukh Khan sat down for a conversation organized by the producers of the event after receiving the Pardo alla Carriera Ascona-Locarno Tourism Award at the 77th Locarno Film Festival. He talked about portraying the iconic character of Devdas. Reflecting on his performance, Shah Rukh shared that he portrayed the character not as a tragic loser but as a man who had his own reasons for not committing to love.
“I didn’t want you to feel love for him, but I also didn’t want you to hate him. Nor did I want you to like him for being a drunkard who runs away from every girl he falls in love with. I just wanted it to look indescribable,” he explained.
Shahrukh also admitted that he faced a lot of anxiety during the filming of Devdas, and even started drinking while playing the character. When asked if it helped, he quipped, “Well, I got the Best Actor award.”
He further added, “It could have helped, but I started drinking after the film and that’s the downside of it.”
Shahrukh also explained why he chose the character of Devdas, which was earlier played by the veteran actor. “For some reason, I always felt that if I made huge films, my mom and dad could see them from heaven. It’s a childish thought, but I still think my mother is a star. I also know what a star she is,” he said.
“I just felt that if I made Devdas, she would really like it and appreciate it. I didn’t think I could play this character because some great actors of our country like Dilip Kumar, KL Sehgal and Uttam Kumar have already played it well. I don’t think mine (his portrayal) is that great or good. Despite many senior actors telling me not to do it, I just wanted to do it,” he said while also praising Bhansali.
Devdas, released in 2002, was directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Jackie Shroff, Kirron Kher and others, the film was based on the famous novel of the same name by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay.