Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, in the early 2000s, united for a magnum opus titled 'Devdas' (Hindi). At that time, the entire country was amazed by the film's rumoured budget of Rs 50 Cr. News reports and articles stated time and again that the film was the costliest in the history of Indian cinema. Many across India turned up to watch 'Devdas' just because of its much-vaunted opulence and scale of production. Bragging about the film's budget was the biggest advertising gimmick of the day.
"The film went through its own share of troubles. Money issues, and producers vanishing, we had to complete the film in a few days. It went over time, over budget," SRK said today at a film festival.
The Indian film industry has evolved dramatically since then. Today, Rs 50 Cr is a modest budget, even for mid-range Telugu films. Just 22 years ago, it was a staggering sum, beyond the reach of most Bollywood blockbusters. How times have changed!
