Celebrating 15 years of ‘Devdas’
Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, whose 2002 romantic drama Devdas was screened at the 70th Cannes Film Festival 15 years after it first screened at the festival, says Indian films are now being increasingly embraced internationally. Excerpts from an interview with the director follow:
What aspect of our films do you think international audiences enjoy the most?
“I think our cinema is being appreciated for its melodramatic warmth. Even in the West people are now eager to express themselves more openly. They aren’t abashed by open expressions of emotions. Indian films exude a lot of warmth. At a time when the world is clogged with bitterness it’s reassuring to experience a cinema where the smallest of emotions matter. Also Indian cinema is celebratory in mood. There’s a song for every occasion. Indian films have their own distinctive stamp and audiences out there find them great fun to watch. That’s why they good-humouredly call us Bollywood.”
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has presented your Devdas again at Cannes 15 years after it release. Your thoughts?
“It fills me with immense pride and amazing memories of the times when we made the film against all odds, and took it to Cannes. Devdas was selected in the non-competition section of the Cannes Film Festival. It was not easy making Devdas. I suffered a lot. When the film was invited to Cannes, it felt like my two and a half years of penance has paid off.” I believe Devdas was the first mainstream Hindi film to be selected for Cannes? “Yes, it was the first film in the popular format. Cannes is more into the avant-garde cerebral non-mainstream cinema. It is a platform for committed filmmakers who get a voice and a market in the festival. The Devdas selection made me very happy. To me, it seemed like an opportunity for a completely new kind of audience to see our cinema. When you don’t plan success, it becomes far more important to you than otherwise.”