Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan announced that his production company Red Chillies Entertainment has secured the rights to Sanjay Leela Bhansali ‘s 2002 film “ Devdas .” Khan starred in the 2002 film, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

Khan was at the Locarno Film Festival to receive a lifetime achievement award and give a masterclass. He shared the news during a special screening of the film. “We as a production company acquired the rights to this film, and I’m very, very proud that it belongs to our company now,” Khan stated to the audience before the screening

The 2002 adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 1917 novel is just one in a long line of film versions of the tragic tale. Khan acknowledged this rich history, 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 follows Devdas Mukherjee, a wealthy law graduate who returns from London to marry his childhood sweetheart, Paro. However, his family opposes the union due to social class differences. Devastated, Devdas falls into alcoholism and finds solace with a courtesan named Chandramukhi. The narrative unfolds as a tragic love triangle, exploring themes of societal expectations, unrequited love, and self-destruction.

Among the numerous adaptations, the 1955 version directed by Bimal Roy, featuring Dilip Kumar, stands out as particularly influential. Khan acknowledged this earlier classic, stating, “I saw it with my parents because they were big fans of Mr. Dilip Kumar, and he was considered the most extraordinary performer of his time.”

Given this context, Bhansali’s decision to remake “Devdas” in 2002 was met with some skepticism. “By the time Mr. Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the director, decided to make this film, I believe everyone in the country felt it was a bit outdated,” Khan recalled. “India had become more liberalized, and people were seeking more lighthearted entertainment, films like college musicals.”

The actor discussed the Bhansali-directed film’s lavish production design and costume choices, which posed their own technical challenges. “I had never acted in a film with such intricate Indian attire,” Khan said, describing difficulties with the period-appropriate clothing. “It was very difficult to move around, to avoid falling frequently. You had to tie it carefully, and you needed a specialist to tie it after a while when I couldn’t do it myself because it kept coming undone between takes,” Khan said, referring to the sarong-like dhoti he had to wear around his waist. “So, I got a zipper, which is sacrilegious, but… I was always so worried that it’ll fall off while I’m performing the scene,” Khan said.

Khan attributes the film’s ultimate success to Bhansali’s vision and the performances of co-stars Aishwarya Rai as Paro and Madhuri Dixit as Chandramukhi, also praising his co-star Jackie Shroff who plays Chunilal. He also highlighted the film’s technical achievements, noting that at one point during production, “there were no other generators available in the entire city of Mumbai” due to the lighting requirements.

“Devdas” went on to garner international acclaim, being screened at Cannes, receiving a BAFTA nomination and becoming what Khan called “a modern-day masterpiece” that epitomizes the grandeur of Indian cinema.

“It truly defines a significant aspect of Indian cinema [through] its extravagance and its beauty, its epic scale, its theatricality.” Khan said. “So, it is a very dialogue-driven, highly dramatic musical film that you will see. And there’s some exceptional dance sequences, I believe, some of the best that I’ve ever seen filmed anywhere in the world.”

The actor expressed his gratitude for the ongoing interest in the film, more than two decades after its original release. “The selection of Locarno, I believe it’s one of the most commendable films they’ve chosen in my career, one of my favorite films I’ve made,” Khan mentioned.