When Sanjay Leela Bhansali was told that Devdas is ‘jinxed, should be shut down’: ‘The set caught fire, we were all suffering’

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas, which released in theatres on this date in 2002, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai was a massive hit at the time. The film was reportedly one of the most expensive films of its time made at a reported budget of Rs 50 crore and many people at the time told Bhansali that his film had “bad vibes” and was “jinxed.” The film, considered a classic now, released 21 years ago.

Devdas’ exorbitant budget had become the talking point in those days and with the many problems that the film was facing during its shoot, naysayers started talking about the film’s ‘bad luck’. In an earlier interview shared by Wild Films India, Bhansali said, “People said this film is jinxed, this film brings bad vibes, you should shut down this film, this will be in losses. The set caught fire, Bharat bhai (producer Bharat Shah) was also in trouble, I was in a problem, Shah Rukh Khan was in a problem. We were all suffering.”

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A part of Devdas’ set caught fire and producer Bharat Shah was arrested for alleged dealings with the underworld. Things were not moving in Devdas’ favour but Bhansali continued to make the film he had dreamed about. “You don’t get anything in life easily. You have to work hard. Maybe it was bad timing, maybe it was our test that for how long can we sustain our passion,” he said in the same interview.

Bhansali said that people would often tell him that Devdas is the story of a loser but for him, the way the movie was made and what it accomplished made them all winners. “It is no more a story of a loser. It is a story of all of us being winners. You don’t get anything in life easily. You have to work hard. Maybe it was bad timing, maybe it was our test that for how long can we sustain our passion. I think we are very blessed that we had to go through all these hurdles.” he said.