Dev D is in theaters again on April 24, 2026, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya is reminding people why this special film still has such an impact. The actor, who will forever be remembered as Chunnilal, believes Anurag Kashyap keeping his promise is what changed his career. This re-release adds even more feeling to a story that was always full of risks and possible rewards.
Dev D returns to theatres on April 24
Seventeen years after it first came out, Dev D is back and has the same energy that made it so popular. Abhay Deol, Kalki Koechlin, Mahie Gill, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya star in Anurag Kashyap’s fresh, modern version of Devdas.
For a lot of people, Dev D wasn’t just a film; it was a particular feeling, a way of rejecting the norm, and the music that went with a time when Hindi films weren’t afraid to show anything.
A promise that changed a career
Dibyendu says Dev D is ‘a truly unique film’ and means a lot to him personally. He began his journey toward getting the role of Chunnilal earlier, on Black Friday-a film that was stopped by a court order and was delayed for three years. Through all that uncertainty, he held onto one thing.
He really wanted Chunnilal. He remembers Anurag Kashyap saying he’d get the part only if Black Friday was released and did well. Otherwise, the company producing the film wanted a famous actor.
Here are the key beats that shaped the casting journey:
– Kashyap promised Chunnilal if Black Friday released and worked
– Production house preferred a celebrity otherwise
– Black Friday released and earned praise
– Kashyap kept his word on casting
– Dev D returns to cinemas on 24 April 2026
The announcement that sealed it
When Black Friday finally opened in theaters and people liked it, Kashyap didn’t hesitate. He announced in the newspapers that Abhay Deol would be Dev and Dibyendu would be Chunnilal. Dibyendu says he was overjoyed that Kashyap had done what he said he would.
He describes that moment as a really encouraging sign for actors who are struggling. Nawazuddin Siddiqui even called him to congratulate him, showing how significant this achievement was to others in the profession.
Memories from the first run
Taking on the role of Chunnilal came with history and expectations. The character had been played by other actors before, but Dibyendu embraced the chance, and didn’t worry about the expectations. Most important to him was working with what he calls an ‘amazing director’.
He can’t forget one thing. When he watched Dev D at Chandan cinema, he remembers people whistling and clapping, and the film getting a five-star review. He says some people saw it seventeen or eighteen times. For him, it was unbelievably strange, and showed he was right to think the film would really connect with audiences.
Why the re-release matters now
Dev D didn’t simply retell a classic story. With Anurag Kashyap’s bold vision, it changed how typical Hindi movies are made, with its honest storytelling, a messy love story, and themes that didn’t flinch. Dibyendu’s Chunnilal made the film even more pointed, along with Dev’s own downfall.
The film is being shown again not just for the feeling of the past. It’s a reminder of what happens when you have faith in someone’s abilities. For Dibyendu, that faith led to many more roles in movies and streaming shows, including Undekhi, Rocket Boys, Jamtara, Poacher, Criminal Justice, and Maamla Legal Hai revisited.
Now, as people go back to the theaters to see Dev D, the discussion comes back to where it started. Some stories don’t get old. They wait, and then they have an even stronger effect. And occasionally, a promise that’s kept is the thing that completely changes everything.
