Devdas, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit, is considered by many as one of the best films in Bollywood. The 2002 romantic drama grabbed the attention of not only the domestic audience but also overseas viewers, who went gaga over the performances, the sets, the music and the intensity of the romance. However, Pakistani actor Dananeer Mobeen is not of the same opinion, as she called it an ‘overrated film’.
What Dananeer said
In a chat with Mashion, when Dananeer was asked to name a classic film she considers overrated, she picked Devdas. She said, “What is the story? There’s an alcoholic, there’s a woman who has no self-respect, there’s a dad who is a (beep sound), and there is another woman who is forced upon the man… what is happening and why is it a classic? Why is everyone going gaga? I get the sets, the grandeur, outfits, but the story? Why are we glamorising alcoholism?”
How internet reacted
The clip of her criticising Devdas made its way into Reddit, where users were surprised with her take. One user commented, “She could’ve just said that the movie is overrated coz I also think it is. But Devdas at its core is a story that questions social classism and the fickle nature of human ego. And while SLB’s version seemed more focused on the sets, clothes and scale, it also captured these things albeit not in the best way. So I’m surprised how someone as smart as Dananeer could say such things about the story.”
Another said, “Devdas isn’t about alcoholism! If she is talking about SLB’s devdas, then the critique is more on the unrealistic grandeur (which she seems to be okey with) which sometimes takes the center stage, instead of the story.” A comment read, “If the movie actually glamorized it, then devdas would’ve been living happily and ended up with paro as if nothing happened. She could’ve had issues with the grandeur and aesthetics of the movie but she has issues with things that are non-existent in the movie.”
Devdas was Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s adaptation of the Sarat Chandra novel, starring Shah Rukh in the titular role. The most expensive Indian film of the time, it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was a massive box office success. The film was praised for its grand sets, music, and performances. It is still considered one of Bhansali’s best works.