Dev.D re-releases in cinemas on April 24
My idea was to call out Devdas’ misogyny and highlight the women’s resilience: Abhay DeolAnurag Kashyap’s Dev.D (2009), a contemporary reimagining of the classic Bengali novel Devdas by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, achieved cult status for its unconventional storytelling and outlook on modern day relationships.
Co-written by Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, the film, headlined by Abhay Deol, Kalki Koechlin, and Mahie Gill, is all set to re-release in select theatres on April 24, through PVR INOX. ‘Curious to see how the new generation responds to Dev D’: Anurag KashyapTalking about the re-release, Anurag Kashyap explained, “When we made Dev.D, it came from a place of rebellion. I wanted to strip away the poetry and confront the contradictions, the very human mess beneath a protagonist (Devdas) who had long been romanticised.
The film was a provocation, taking a story steeped in nostalgia and tragic romance and thrusting it into the chaos of contemporary India. This Dev isn’t a romantic hero.
He’s entitled, impulsive, and often deeply unlikable. His self-destruction isn’t noble; it’s reckless and painfully real. Paro, too, is no longer just the waiting lover. She has agency, desire, and anger; she chooses; she resists. And Chanda, shaped by the realities of today, isn’t defined by sacrifice but by survival and reinvention.
To see Dev.D return to the big screen feels special. It’s a film meant to be experienced collectively with Amit Trivedi’s pulsating music and Rajeev Ravi’s cinematography powering the narrative. I am curious to see how the new generation responds to it.”The best part about shooting Dev.D was not knowing anything about filmmaking: KalkiThrilled by the news, Kalki Koechlin shared, “My first film Dev. D is re-releasing! Crazy.
I remember being so nervous about my Hindi lines that every morning on set I would wake up and do “a aa e ee o oo” practising all my vowels and consonants in devnagiri for my correct ‘uchaaran’ (pronunciation). The best part about shooting Dev D was not knowing anything about film making, because it meant I didn’t care about which angle, how I looked on camera, I gave 100 percent in the takes, not knowing if the camera is pointed at the back of my head, not knowing I could do it again.
I was totally un-selfconscious.”My idea was to call out Devdas’ misogyny: Abhay DeolRecalling how the film was considered arty back then, Abhay Deol says, “I remember the days I would narrate the idea of Dev.D to people, friends, and industry, and the most common reaction I got was that it was too “arty” to be made. When I narrated it to Anurag, I didn’t tell him it was a contemporary treatment of Devdas, I just narrated a love story.
He did not guess what it was that I was actually narrating and when I revealed that it was a contemporary Devdas he went quiet for 20min imagining it in his head.
He was hooked and he also loved the idea of treating it with a musical score that took the story forward one song at a time. Although he went with a different ending (I stuck to the original with Dev dying in the end), my idea was to call out Devdas’ misogyny and highlight the women’s resilience.
It’s my only idea that got made into a movie so it will always remain a personal triumph for me.”
Dev.D re-releases in cinemas on April 24
Dev in Dev. D didn’t deserve the poetic martyrdom of Devdas. Didn’t want to give audiences a sanitised, feel-good ending: Anurag KashyapTalking about why the ending of the film differs from the one narrated to him by Abhay, Anurag explained, “I was very clear about one thing: I didn’t want to romanticise self-destruction. The original Devdas myth is built around a man who drinks himself to death and is almost glorified for it.
Dev in Dev. D didn’t deserve that kind of poetic martyrdom. At the same time, we didn’t want to give audiences a sanitised, feel-good ending either.
The ending isn’t about resolution. It’s about discomfort. It pushes one to confront their own ideas of forgiveness and accountability. Dev doesn’t suddenly transform into a better human being. He doesn’t arrive at redemption in any conventional sense. He simply becomes aware, or at least there’s a fleeting recognition of the fragility of life itself, and I thought that was the best way to end the film.
Everyone in life deserves a second chance.”DeV.D helped me find my voice as a composer: Amit TrivediMusic composed by Amit Trivedi formed an integral part of the film’s identity. He shares, “Dev.D was a turning point in my career indeed. Before that, I was just trying to find my space, making music without knowing if it would ever reach people. Anurag placed immense trust in me and gave me complete creative freedom, and that changed everything.
We weren’t just composing songs; we were shaping the emotional pulse of the film.
Each song was instinctive, deeply rooted in the narrative, whether it was the wild, experimental energy of ‘Emosanal Attyachaar’ or the quiet ache of ‘Nayan Tarse’. When the film released, something shifted for me. It helped me find my voice, and I remain deeply grateful that audiences embraced something so raw and unconventional. Seeing Dev.D return to cinemas is so emotional; it reminds me of a time when we were fearless, curious, and simply creating from the heart.”Niharika Bijli, Lead Strategist, PVR INOX Limited, said, “We are constantly looking for definitive titles, films that have shifted something, and Dev.D is undoubtedly one of them. It is a film meant for the big screen; the landscapes, the music, and the emotions all feel far more immersive when experienced in a cinema, shared with an audience reacting in unison. Dev. D is also an essential watch to understand the diversity of storytelling that Anurag Kashyap brings to his craft.
It’s exciting to bring Dev.D back to PVR INOX; this is not a film one should miss experiencing in theatres.”Author: Renuka.Vyavahare@timesofindia.com
