Hyderabad: Pakistani actress Dananeer Mobeen has found herself at the centre of a massive social media storm after calling the Bollywood classic Devdas “overrated” during a recent interview with Mashion Pakistan. Her remarks quickly went viral across Instagram, Threads and Facebook, triggering intense backlash from Bollywood fans and admirers of Shah Rukh Khan.
During the interview, Dananeer was asked to name a classic film that she believes does not deserve the level of fame it enjoys. Without hesitation, she picked Devdas, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Questioning the emotional core of the film, she said, “Why is Devdas a classic? It’s about an alcoholic man and a woman with no self-respect.”
However, her blunt opinion did not sit well with fans online.
Social media users rushed to defend the film’s legacy, arguing that Devdas was never meant to glorify toxic behaviour but instead portray heartbreak, emotional destruction and human flaws.
One furious user wrote, “Said the one who was playing the role of a clueless girl running after her boss.” Another commented, “When you don’t know what art and literature really is, you can say something like this. Devdas is a marvel of Bollywood and South Asian cinema.”
Several users also dragged her latest release Mera Lyari into the debate, with one person writing, “After giving a historical flop, she is questioning Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.”
Another fan defended the film in detail, writing, “People should stop talking rubbish without understanding the plot. Devdas didn’t glorify alcoholism, it showed how alcohol and unresolved pain can destroy a person. The movie is a tragedy, not a celebration.”
Released in 2002, Devdas became one of the biggest Bollywood blockbusters of its time. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the film starred Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit in lead roles. Known for its grand visuals, emotional storytelling and iconic music, Devdas was both a massive commercial success and a critically acclaimed film, earning several national and international awards.
