Sanjay Leela Bhansali ran out of money in the midst of 'Devdas' shoot, here's why weddings were stopped in Mumbai due to it

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2002 film 'Devdas' marks 22 years since its release, and cinematographer Binod Pradhan has now shared his experience of working on one of the largest-scale shooting sets with Bhansali. He also revealed how they had to use numerous generators to achieve perfect lighting on the film’s set, which led to claims that many weddings in Mumbai were rescheduled or even stopped.
In a conversation with Friday Talkies, Binod reflected on the sheer scale of 'Devdas' and his first collaboration with Bhansali. He never expected the set to be so vast, and the grandeur of the film provided him with an exciting creative space to experiment with cinematography. Unlike other film sets, where there was immense pressure to complete shooting quickly, 'Devdas' allowed for a more meticulous approach. While other directors aimed to film 15–20 or sometimes even 40 shots a day, 'Devdas' required just 3–4 shots per day.
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'Devdas' was the most expensive Indian film of its time, and Binod revealed that perfecting the lighting for its intricate sets was a major challenge. The production took around two years, primarily due to the complexity of achieving the right lighting. One of the biggest challenges was lighting Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s character Paro’s house, which was filled with glass. As Binod prefers to work at a slower pace and carefully refine his techniques, he took the time to walk around the set to understand its lighting requirements.

Binod also recalled how Bhansali’s unwavering vision helped maintain the film’s visual brilliance. “There was a time when it was said that weddings in Mumbai had to be stopped or rescheduled because we had used up all the generators in the city. It was a huge area, and I had to use a lot of generators to light the place up. If there is a director who backs you, you can give your best,” he added.
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Among the many things that stayed with Binod from the experience was a simple yet powerful directive from Bhansali. He recalled the director’s unwavering commitment to quality, even in the face of financial constraints. "In fact, there was a time when Devdas faced financial issues, and even then, Sanjay asked me to not compromise on anything, " he stated. He was surprised when Bhansali insisted on not compromising on the film’s visuals rather than rushing the shoot. Binod finds it ‘unfortunate’ that they never collaborated again after 'Devdas'.
Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Madhuri Dixit, 'Devdas' was adapted from Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 1917 novel.