Shekhar Suman has admitted to a significant regret from his career: turning down the role of Chunnilal in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 2002 film 'Devdas'. Reflecting on this missed opportunity, the actor shared that working with Bhansali later on the 2024 series 'Heeramandi' helped him reach a younger audience and gave his career a new lease on life.
Shekhar Suman on the Role He Couldn't Accept
The actor opened up about a missed opportunity, revealing that he was once offered the role of Chunni bhai in 'Devdas'. Speaking to India Today, he said, “Devdas. The film was offered to me — the Chunni bhai’s role.” However, he had to turn it down due to a packed schedule at the time. “At that time, I was neck-deep in 'Movers and Shakers', doing it five times a week. Much as I wanted to do it, I could not, and I regret not doing it,” he said.
Shekhar Suman’s Love for Bimal Roy’s ‘Devdas’
Shekhar also expressed his admiration for Bimal Roy’s 1955 'Devdas', recalling the performances of Dilip Kumar and Suchitra Sen as Devdas and Paro, and Motilal as Chunnilal. “That film has always been very special to me,” he said, noting that if anyone could reinterpret it after Bimal Roy, it would be Bhansali. “What a fantastic job he has done,” the actor added. Reflecting on missing out on Bhansali’s 'Devdas', Suman said, “Some you win, some you lose. You should not be too regretful about it. It was probably not meant to be.” He further added, “But I got to work with him in 'Heeramandi', so that compensated me.”
Shekhar Suman on ‘Heeramandi’ as a Turning Point
The veteran actor described 'Heeramandi' as a turning point that helped him rediscover his career and reach a new generation of viewers. Speaking about whether the series gave him renewed momentum, he said, “Yes, I guess so. That one role gives you another lease of five years, 10 years — and then it goes on.”
Shekhar Suman’s Journey Through Famous Films
Shekhar Suman has appeared in several famous movies such as 'Tridev', 'Sansar', 'Naache Mayuri', 'Chor Machaye Shor', 'Ek Se Badhkar Ek', and 'Pati Parmeshwar'. He has maintained that he has never taken on projects that don’t align with his own sense of value.
