Pak Actress Dananeer Mobeen Faces Backlash For Calling SRK's Devdas Overrated, Says It Glamorises Alcoholism

Pakistani actor Dananeer Mobeen is facing sharp backlash online after calling the 2002 Bollywood classic Devdas overrated during a recent interview. The comments spread widely on social media in India and Pakistan, arriving just as Dananeer’s new film Mera Lyari struggled at the Pakistani box office after its 8 May release.

Dananeer shared the view while speaking to Mashion, which asked Dananeer to name a classic film Dananeer finds overrated. Dananeer chose Devdas and said, "What is the story? There's an alcoholic, there's a woman who has no self-respect, and there is another woman who is forced upon the man… what is happening and why is it a classic? Why is everyone going gaga? I get the sets, the grandeur, outfits, but the story? Why are we glamorising alcoholism?"

Dananeer Mobeen Devdas overrated remarks spark criticism

After the interview clip circulated, social media users accused Dananeer Mobeen of dismissing Devdas without understanding its tragic theme. Several critics claimed Dananeer had previously dressed as Paro, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s character from Devdas, during one of Dananeer’s shows, and said this made the Devdas overrated comments appear inconsistent and added to the backlash.

One X user wrote, "Tomorrow she will call Shakespeare overrated. Little learning is a dangerous thing and she proved it like no other!!! Such people should avoid speaking on public platforms to sound like an expert. Just stick to your job that is acting." Another user labelled Dananeer "dumb" while reacting to the Devdas overrated debate.

Another person on X commented, "What a shallow and uninformed take on Devdas. Reducing a classic like that to casual commentary shows a real lack of understanding of cinema. Not every opinion needs to be voiced, especially when it dismisses something so iconic so lightly. Very disappointing, Dananeer," adding to the online criticism of the Devdas overrated statement.

One more user wrote about Dananeer Mobeen and the Devdas overrated row, "Holy crap, is she insufferable. I couldn't even make it through the whole clip. Someone please sit her down and explain to her what a 'tragedy,' is in the literary sense. Or better yet, stop giving her the damn mic altogether and save us all the trouble."

Devdas Dananeer Mobeen controversy and film background

Devdas, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and released in 2002, stars Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Madhuri Dixit. The film adapts Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's 1917 novel and is widely regarded as one of Indian cinema's most iconic works, praised for its emotional storytelling, visual spectacle, and widely known soundtrack.

The Devdas adaptation is often highlighted for its elaborate set design and detailed costumes, which helped define its grand look. Critics and audiences regularly cite Devdas as a key reference point for large-scale Hindi film productions, and the film maintains strong cultural recall more than two decades after release, making Dananeer Mobeen’s Devdas overrated comment especially contentious for many viewers.

The Devdas Devdas Dananeer Mobeen controversy surfaced as Dananeer’s latest film Mera Lyari faced serious commercial trouble. Mera Lyari, described by many viewers as Pakistan's response to India's hit Dhurandhar franchise, opened in Pakistani cinemas on 8 May but reportedly sold only about 22 tickets and was removed from several theatres on the opening day after that weak response.

The clash between Dananeer Mobeen’s Devdas overrated remark and the affection many viewers hold for Devdas has kept the subject trending online. The reaction also comes at a sensitive time for Dananeer, as Mera Lyari struggles at the box office, and the debate shows how comments on much-loved films can quickly trigger heated discussion across social media platforms.