Ismail Darbar Reveals Why Shah Rukh Khan Took Over Salman Khan in Devdas
Can you imagine anyone else but Shah Rukh Khan as Devdas in the iconic film?
In a recent interview, composer Ismail Darbar shared intriguing insights about the film Devdas (2002), directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Surprisingly, he revealed that Shah Rukh Khan wasn’t initially the first choice for the titular role—Salman Khan held that title.
Darbar explained that Bhansali seemingly favored Shah Rukh over Salman during the casting process.
He shared, “When I needed work, he (Bhansali) gave me Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and when he needed me, I postponed all my projects for him. He was like a godfather to me in this industry. My intuition tells me that his relationship with Salman declined once he chose SRK for Devdas. Salman backed him even after the failure of Khamoshi. Wouldn’t anyone feel upset if they helped you multiple times, and then you select their rival for your new project?”
This leads to speculation about Aishwarya Rai’s role in the decision. Ismail noted, “The media buzzed with news of their conflicts. It was painful to watch. They were once so close.”
Ismail also reflected on Aishwarya’s struggles after her breakup with Salman. He mentioned, “Her most profound hurt was feeling abandoned by the industry due to Salman. She felt unfairly treated and deeply betrayed.”
Do you think anyone besides Shah Rukh Khan could have played the role of Devdas?
