Outdoor Cinema: Devdas

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 1917 novel Devdas has acquired an almost mythical status in India, having been adapted for the screen a record twenty times in multiple languages since the first silent film version in 1928. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s adaptation is a sumptuously mounted romantic period drama with opulent sets, luxurious costumes, and spectacular choreography that tells the tragic tale of star-crossed lovers Devdas (Shah Rukh Khan) and Paro (Aishwarya Rai) on a grand operatic scale.

Childhood sweethearts, Devdas and Paro’s plans to marry are rebuffed by Devdas’s wealthy family. In retaliation, Paro’s family arranges her marriage to an older aristocrat while a heartbroken Devdas leaves his home and descends into alcoholism, finding solace with a warm-hearted courtesan (Madhuri Dixit).

Screening as part of The Onscreen Sari - a season of films celebrating the impact of the sari on screen, from iconic saris featured in box office hits to the garment as a symbol of feminine power.