From Aishwarya's 600 saris to INR200m sets, Bollywood's magnum opus 'Devdas' turns 19

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus Devdas released 19 years ago today. And it was because of its extravagance that we could enter the opulent world of the director, who left no stone unturned in making his flick a visual extravaganza.

Bhansali had established his strong visual aesthetic with 1999 film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. But with Devdas, he moulded a world that eventually defined his ethos, according to the Indian Express.

Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit, Devdas was one of the most expensive films of Hindi cinema until 2002. The effect of its intricately planned costumes dictated Indian fashion for a while. Its enormous sets reminiscent of museums – a mainstay for a Bhansali films today – left the viewer’s bewildered back then.

So as the Bhansali epic turns 19, here’s a look at what went into its making.

1. Cost of making a mammoth

Devdas released as the most expensive Hindi film ever made. Costing around INR 500 million (Rs50 crore), Devdas became a mammoth project. The film’s producer Bharat Shah was even arrested in 2001 after an investigation revealed that one of his films had been financed by the ‘underworld’. Devdas was still under production during that time and its future was in jeopardy.

2. The grandiose sets worth millions

The film’s intricate sets played a huge role in its rising cost. It took seven to nine months to make these sets. The most expensive set was that of Chandramukhi’s kotha which cost around INR 120 million. The set of Paro’s house was created using stained glass. This set used over 1.2 lakh pieces of stained glass and cost around INR 30 million.

3. Power of 700 lightmen

At the time, a film’s set usually had two or three generators for power but on Devdas, a record 42 generators were used because of the lights required to make the film. Cinematographer Binod Pradhan used 2500 lights operated by over 700 light men, which resulted in the film’s awe-inspiring visuals.

4. INR 1.5m worth of outfits for Madhuri

Designed by Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla, every extraordinary outfit donned by Madhuri Dixit in the film cost approximately INR 1.5 million. On top of that, a ghaghra she had to wear for Kahe Chhed Cheed Mohe, which weighed around 30kgs, had to be replaced because dancing in it became a challenge.

5. Aishwarya’s wardrobe of 600 sarees

It was after designer Neeta Lulla and director Bhansali bought around 600 sarees from Kolkata that the look of Paro was created. Different sarees had to be mixed to create looks for her character. And a new draping style had to be applied to these sarees, which took approximately three hours every day. While a traditional saree is 6 metres long, Paro’s sarees were 8-9 metres long.

6. Spending two years on music

The iconic songs of the film took Ismail Darbar two years to complete. Every song’s recording lasted around 10 days, following which it was mixed 8-9 times. Darbar and Bhansali locked heads during this period but they resolved their differences later. One of the lines from Dola Re Dola was changed by Nusrat Badr last minute and this elevated the cost even further.

7. Making the highest grossing film of the year

In 2002, Devdas was the top-earner of the year minting around INR 420 million from the domestic market, which was a huge deal back then. Devdas had a gala time overseas as well since, since it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The film’s music rights sold for a whopping INR 125 million.

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