An American woman named Katie Cole is capturing attention online with her passionate review of Sanjay Leela Bhansali‘s film Devdas, featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Madhuri Dixit in leading roles. Her review fervently demands justice for the character Chandramukhi, played by Madhuri Dixit, expressing that she “deserved better.”
Katie’s Instagram post, captioned with “…and Chandramukhi lived HAPPILY EVER AFTER,” has become a talking point, with her remarks quickly gaining traction. In a viral Instagram reel, she proclaimed, “Justice for my girl Chandramukhi, because what do you mean to tell me — she is everything; she’s beautiful, she’s talented, she’s a businesswoman, she is building her own empire, and then waiting around for this guy.”
The criticism didn’t end there; Katie also challenged Shah Rukh Khan’s portrayal of Devdas, stating that he was fixated on his former girlfriend Paro, despite being the cause of their separation.
Devdas narrates the tragic tale of a wealthy young man who falls in love with his childhood friend Paro, portrayed by Aishwarya Rai. However, societal constraints and family opposition thwart their love, leading to Paro’s marriage to an older aristocrat. Heartbroken, Devdas succumbs to despair, indulging in alcohol and the companionship of courtesan Chandramukhi. Despite Chandramukhi’s sincere affection, Devdas remains haunted by memories of Paro. As his health deteriorates, he attempts to meet Paro one last time, only to die outside her mansion before reaching her.
Katie’s review resonated with the Indian social media audience, amassing 256,000 views within two days. Many users appreciated her insights, describing them as “spilling facts” and suggesting that she watch Anurag Kashyap‘s Dev D for a modern take on Devdas. A social media user remarked, “Our girl Chandramukhi went through a situationship before it was a thing,” while another branded the late 1990s Bollywood as “toxic romantic” with a focus on male characters.
Reactions to Katie’s video demonstrated the broader cultural impact of Shah Rukh Khan’s Devdas. One user expressed delight in seeing “a white lady randomly get hyped up over our girl Chandramukhi,” while another urged Katie to watch Dev D, where “Paro and Chandramukhi both tell Dev to f**k off at various points.”
Furthermore, a user shared a fascinating anecdote about the original novel Devdas, revealing that its author, Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay, disliked the story himself. The user recounted, “The author of the novel, Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay, hated the novel himself. If I’m remembering correctly, he wrote in a letter to a friend that he never meant Devdas to gain as much popularity as it did. And honestly as a fan of his writings, Devdas is probably his worst book and he hasn’t written many bad stories.”
The viral review has sparked renewed discussions on the narrative complexities of Devdas and its characters, demonstrating once again the lasting influence of Shah Rukh Khan’s portrayal in this cinematic classic. As audiences engage with these perspectives, the dialogue around Devdas continues to evolve, indicating the enduring legacy of this iconic film.
