Rahul Bhat talks with Subhash K Jha about playing the leading role in Sudhir Mishra’s Daas Dev, which released in 2018.
Your collaboration with Sudhir Mishra in Daas Dev was very unusual.
It’s been seven years since Daas Dev, and it remains very close to me. What made it special was Sudhir ji’s vision, he chose to reinterpret the classic Saratchandra story through the lens of politics, power, and human vulnerability. It wasn’t just about love and loss; it became a commentary on ambition, manipulation, and the personal cost of power.
How did you approach the complex character?
Naturally, the way I approached the character had to change. I had to see Dev not just as a tragic lover but as someone being consumed by the political forces around him.
What was it like working with Sudhir Mishra?
Working with Sudhir ji was a masterclass. He pushes you to go beyond the obvious, to find truth even in contradiction. It was a challenging, thrilling experience — the kind that stays with you and shapes you as an actor.
Where do you place Daas Dev among your performances?
I definitely place Daas Dev among my notable performances. It’s a layered film, and I truly believe it deserves more love. It’s streaming now on Zee5 — and I genuinely hope more people discover it. It’s a superb, bold take on politics and human nature, and I’m very proud to be a part of it. The politics in the film is so close to the truth, that is scary.
Why haven’t you and Sudhir Mishra collaborated again after Daas Dev?
As for why Sudhir ji and I haven’t collaborated again -well, we are back together! I’m playing Sanjay Gandhi in his upcoming series Summer of ’77, and we’re also going to work on a film together soon. Very excited for what’s coming next.
