'Devdas' remake thrills Shah Rukh fans.
(2nd May 2002)

Fans of Bollywood hero Shah Rukh Khan will be thrilled to hear that he plays the romantic hero 'Devdas' in a new remake based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhye's celebrated novel by the same name written in 1917 in Calcutta (India). The film which was screened to great acclaim in Cannes in May comes to UK screens on 12th July 2002.

'Devdas' is the most expensive film to be made in the history of Bollywood costing over 12 million US Dollars and is slated to be the best ever yet by one of the most talented young Directors in the industry, Sanjay Leela Bansali, who is known for his inimitable style of film-making that has won him several prestigious awards in the Indian Oscars.

'Devdas' has never failed to capture the imagination of film-makers and starting with a silent version in 1928, 'Devdas' went on to be filmed as many as nine times in various Indian languages, which included two historic films in Hindi - one by P.C. Barua in 1935 and the other by Bimal Roy in 1955 - both went on to become runaway hits of their time.

'The film is a saga of a man called Devdas who is separated from his childhood sweetheart Paro as a result of his momentary weakness, and she weds another. Seeking solace from a beautiful courtesan Chandramukhi, who loves him with unflinching devotion, does not ease the pain of Devdas. His love for Paro becomes immortal when he finally breathes his end on her doorstep. A story of love that is pure, yet intense, dignified yet self-destructive, and magical in every sort of way.

Many a man has identified with the pathos of Devdas, a man who could not get love, while many wished they could love like him. Many a woman has wished she could be loved, as Devdas loved Paro and yet others wished that they, like Chandramukhi, had a Devdas to love.

Shahrukh Khan, undisputedly India's biggest star of today, is playing the main protagonist Devdas. Paro is being played by ethereal beauty Aishwarya Rai, who rose to fame when she was crowned Miss World in 1994. Last but not the least, Chandramukhi is being played by the enchanting Madhuri Dixit, the female superstar of Bollywood, who is sure to set the screens alive with her animated dance sequences from the film choreographed by celebrated dance maestro Birju Maharaj.

The music from the film is already top of the Indian charts. It is slated to be the first ever core Indian feature film that will crossover in appeal to audiences across the world.

'Devdas' - one of the greatest pieces of fiction ever created in the history of Indian literature and from those who have caught glimpses of the film's grandeur and opulence - its lavish sets by Nitin Desai and 'to-die-for' costumes by Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla - a history in the making of the Indian film industry.

Click here to visit the Official 'Devdas' film website.

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