How Dhallywood brought Sarat Chandra’s ‘Devdas’ to the screen

Today marks the 150th birth anniversary of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. For nearly a century, his stories and characters have influenced cinema across the Indian subcontinent. He was born on this day in 1876.

Among the creations of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, “Devdas” has had the longest cinematic journey. The novel has been adapted into films in 10 languages across the subcontinent. In Bangladesh, it has been made twice, with Bulbul Ahmed and Shakib Khan portraying the character of Devdas.

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“Devdas” is an eternal tale of unrequited love. It is a story of human weakness, indecision, pride and regret. It is this unfinished love that has transformed the story into an enduring tale of romance.

Devdas and Parvati love each other. However, family and social realities stand in the way of their love. Devdas fails to stand up for his love at the right moment. By the time he realises what losing Parvati means, it is already too late.

In Bengali literature, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay is a writer whose characters still feel deeply familiar to us. His stories have love, resentment and social conflicts, as well as the lingering sighs of unfulfilled desires.

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In Bangladesh, filmmaker Chashi Nazrul Islam was the first to bring Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s “Devdas” to the big screen. Released in 1982, the film featured Bulbul Ahmed as Devdas, Kabori as Parvati and Anwara as Chandramukhi.

In Bulbul Ahmed’s portrayal, Devdas carried a profound sense of melancholy. His expressive eyes, delivery of dialogue and the character’s inner turmoil touched audiences.

Meanwhile, Kabori’s Parvati was a blend of love and self-respect. As Chandramukhi, Anwara brought out a different kind of beauty in selfless love.

Sarat Chandra’s timeless love story returned to Dhakai Bengali cinema in 2013. Chashi Nazrul Islam directed “Devdas” for the second time, with Shakib Khan playing Devdas. Apu Biswas portrayed Parvati, while Moushumi played Chandramukhi.

The story once again reached a new generation of audiences. A few days ago, speaking about his experience of playing Devdas, Shakib Khan said, “Getting the opportunity to work in a film like this is a matter of great fortune for any actor. 

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However, I was working on several projects at the same time while making the film. As a result, I could not devote as much time to the character as it required. If I get the opportunity again, I would like to play Devdas once more.”