Sudhir Mishra to merge Hamlet with Devdas 
By Subhash K. Jha, July 24, 2007 - 13:48 IST
After K.L Saigal, Dilip Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan, it’s Shiney Ahuja's turn to play the ultimate tragic hero of Hindi literature.
"It's not only Devdas," explains director Sudhir Mishra. "Devdas is just the takeoff point. Like if you see Westside Story it's directly linked to Romeo & Juliet. In my film from Devdas I also go into Shakespeare's Hamlet. I feel when Saratchandra wote Devdas in 1901 he must have had Hamlet in mind. The protagonists are very similar. I'm putting both the tragic hero's into a modern context and political leaning. It would be dramatic debate on Devdas, Hamlet and Indian politics. Chandramukhi will be portrayed as a keeper of dark political secrets while Paro will be a part of an opposing political party."
Sudhir has always had very strong political leanings. "All my films have a strong political base. I’m seeing Hamlet and Devdas as take-off points for a political drama set in present times."
Sudhir Mishra and his regular writer Joydeep Sarkar are preparing the screenplay. "I want to re-interpret the love story of Devdas and Paro into a modern political context."
The idea was born out of a conversation with producer Pritish Nandy. "He suggested I re-do Devdas. I thought about it. And now we're both damn excited."
Sudhir's favourite hero Shiney Ahuja who has been part of the director's much-celebrated Hazaaron Khwahishein Aisi and the just-completed Khoya-Khoya Chand will play the protagonist
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