‘I think everyone is political & every person has an ideology they follow, they just don’t recognize it.’ ~ Rahul Bhat

'I was honest in approaching this character and now when the movie releases people will judge how good I am.' ~ Rahul Bhat

Rahul Bhat is only just starting out with his full fledged career in Indian films, and at this point playing an iconic character of Dev from the classic Devdas is more than a lucky chance. It is his moment to showcase his full potential in a big scale political love story directed by Sudhir Mishra.

Daas Dev is a reverse journey of the characters from addiction to liberation. We talk to Rahul Bhat about the pressures of fitting into this classical role and find out more about his character.

Rahul Bhat in Daas Dev

Dev from Devadas is an iconic character. It’s been portrayed by many actors on stage and in films, is that a pressure while performing? 

I actually approached it with a fresh perspective. In my own way. Of course this character has been played by great actors before. But the pressure is always there on every actor for every film. You always question how you will approach the character every time you start a new film. This is such an iconic character and it’s one of those characters that actors say is their dream role.

I just approached it honestly. My slate was clean. You know when people ask actors what did you do, or how did you do it, it’s a great question for an actor, because after that he gives an answer for the next fifteen minutes in which he is basically praising himself and nobody minds that. (laughs)

So I would say I was honest in approaching this character and now when the movie releases people will judge how good I am.

As Sudhir always says, if you come to watch Daas Dev hoping to see the classic Devdas, then you will be disappointed.

I had interviewed you a while back, and you said that you’re doing the kind of films you want to do, what was it about Daas Dev that made you say Yes to the film. 

The fact that I am doing the film means it is the kind of film I want to do. For me, who is directing the film really matters. If you have a good director, especially for a male actor in this industry for him the director is important. If the director is good, they assume the script must be good. But these are the commercial ways to look at things.

For me as an actor, I need to believe in the script, my part and the director. And in Daas Dev all the three elements were there.

Richa Chadda, Rahul Bhat & Aditi Rao Hydari as Paro, Dev and Chandani in Daas Dev.

Tell us a little bit about your character and his relationship to the other characters in the film. 

As Sudhir always says, if you come to watch Daas Dev hoping to see the classic Devdas, then you will be disappointed. Because it’s not Devdas. He took these three characters from the classic, and then the Shakespeare in his head weaved a narrative entirely different from the original story. He looks at the Dev and the Daas as two different set of characteristics. So if the original story is of the journey of Dev to Daas, where he comes from a wealthy established family and falls in love with Paro and then Paro gets married to someone else and he begins self destructing , the story of Daas Dev is the other way around, it’s a journey from Daas to Dev. He is addicted to alcohol , he is addicted to power, he is addicted to all kinds of things, and will he rise to the occasion and claim his legacy is what Daas Dev is about.

You’ve acted in Union Leader and Daas Dev, both of them dwell in socio political ideas, are you a political inclined person. Do you relate to these characters? 

Now what can I do if the directors who want to work with me see me as this political character. I was never sure I could pull of the role of a mill worker but Sanjay Patel’s conviction that I could, helped me do the film.

So politically inclined I don’t know, but I am definitely politically aware and I think everyone should be. Honestly I think everyone is political & every person has an ideology they follow, they just don’t recognize it.

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