How relevant is Devdas in todays times?
Two things are relevant in a film: its entertainment value and its story. I think Devdas has them both. Okay, the film is set in the ’40s, the main character wears a dhoti, it’s about an alcoholic. But these are just a part of the story. It’s about a guy who loves a woman and can’t forget her. And that has relevance in all times. I’ve never given my son Arabian Nights. I felt it’s irrelevant in modern times. But then Harry Potter is actually Arabian Nights. It’s about sorcery, about magic. It’s got huge lizards, flying carpets. It’s a modern version of the Nights. Similarly, Devdas is the modern version in terms of its presentation. You think the modern ambitious youth will identify with a man who gave up his life for love? My mother used to tell me a story of a crow who wanted to drink water from a beaker. He kept throwing in pebbles till the water level rose. Now my son watches movies like Batman, Superman, Spiderman. He knows words like `fundamentalist’, `reprimand,’and `idea’ at th
