- Thursday, February 06, 2025
The film starred Abhay Deol as Dev and Mahie Gill as Paro, with Koechlin playing Leni/Chanda in what became her breakthrough role
By: India Weekly
FIFTEEN years after its release, Kalki Koechlin recalls her experience working on “Dev D”, a film that redefined Devdas for a new generation.
The 2009 Anurag Kashyap-directed film was a turning point in her career, but for the then-newcomer, the process was nerve-wracking – especially because she was still learning Hindi.
“My memory is of being highly stressed about Hindi. It was when I was still learning Hindi and I got a special tutor for learning all the dialogues. I didn’t understand some of the dialogues, but I would be able to say them in my sleep. I was just mugging them. So, it felt like a big exam,” Koechlin told PTI.
The film starred Abhay Deol as Dev and Mahie Gill as Paro, with Koechlin playing Leni/Chanda in what became her breakthrough role.
The film was a critical success and eventually gained cult status. Its soundtrack, composed by Amit Trivedi, remains one of the most celebrated aspects of the film.
“That album remains extra special. I sometimes still listen to that… I just love that album. And I think it really made the film. The choice of using the emotion of music to make the film was really cool.”
One of its most iconic tracks, Emosanal Attyachaar, holds personal significance for Koechlin. She recalls it playing during her audition and immediately recognising its potential.
“I went for an audition and they were like listening to the song in the office. I was like, ‘Is that going to be in the film?’ They said, ‘Yes, probably.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, I have to be in this (film).’”
The song also featured actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui in one of his early on-screen performances. Koechlin recalls watching him transform on set.
“I met Nawaz for the first time, and he was practising his lines and performance, just behind where they were going to shoot and there was this quiet boy. He was just in a corner, and I didn’t know who he was… But as soon as he went on stage and performed in that Elvis kind of costume, it just blew my mind, and everybody loved it. He was so full of charisma and I think we knew a star was born that day.”
Koechlin also reflected on the camaraderie on set and her continued connection with some of her co-stars.
“There was such closeness. Everybody would hang out after the day and there was this sort of excitement to work. In that sense, it was a lot of fun to shoot.”
Fifteen years later, her career has spanned across critically acclaimed films like “That Girl in Yellow Boots”, “Margarita with a Straw”, and “Goldfish”.
Though she has slowed her pace after becoming a mother, she remains active in the industry.
