Devdas and his Legion of Sadbois

In a glorious aligning of pop culture references, the “Just Ken” song (in which Ryan Gosling speaks for all tender-hearted gents who feel misunderstood by the universe) was released just a day before the 21st anniversary of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas, who is among the most beloved of sadbois of Indian cinema. “No one knows how hard I've tried, oh I have feelings that I can’t explain,” sings Ken. While this is from Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, it’s easy to imagine Devdas singing the same lyrics (someone, anyone, please make this mash-up. Thank you). 

Based on a beloved novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Devdas has been making men feel seen for more than a century. Bhansali’s casting coup was to feature Shah Rukh Khan as Devdas. At the time, Khan was celebrated for bringing back to Bollywood the hero who wasn’t ashamed to shed a tear and who wore his broken heart on his sleeve with pride. It proved to be perfect casting. Bhansali’s Devdas updated the novel, laying out a template for the desi sadboi as one who self-sabotages, drinks, weeps and rues the world while looking for a lady-shaped sticker to plaster onto the holes in his life (not necessarily in that order). While this may not seem particularly attractive on paper, it was a winning combination on screen. 

Sadbois in movies have been cathartic and life-affirming, helping audiences connect with vulnerabilities and take comfort in knowing they’re not alone. The appeal cuts across genders, with women feeling charmed by these emotionally stunted men, and men enjoying the way films glorify the hero for embracing his softer side. Just think of Khan’s Devdas when he looks straight into the camera, and a single tear leaks (only to be caught by none other than Jackie Shroff. Praise be) — it’s inspired so many memes, yes, but under the excess and melodrama is an undercurrent of genuine emotion, which is what makes Devdas so special. The character has also inspired a legion of contemporary sadbois, who seem to be competing to be the saddest of them all. Here are some of our favourites.

1. Ranbir Kapoor in Rockstar, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, and Tamasha

Ranbir Kapoor has played the sadboi over and over again, portraying men with achey-breaky hearts who have gone on to achieve cult status.

Janardhan from Rockstar (2011) and Ayan Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016), channel their heartbreak into their music because who can resist the trope of the heartbroken artist? While Jordan sings ‘Nadaan Parinde’ wearing what looks like a postman’s uniform, Ayan has to deal with the presence of DJ Ali (played by — be still, beating heart — Fawad Khan). In Tamasha (2015), Ved struggles with happiness as a concept. The first two films were box office success while the last has gone on to achieve the status of a cult classic. 

2. Salman Khan in Tere Naam

One of Salman Khan’s most iconic performances is as Radhe, a violent good Samaritan with a memorably bad haircut. First, he falls in love with Nirjara (Bhumika Chawla) and then he, well, suffers. A set of absolutely bizarre events follow, including but not limited to a marriage proposal that is accepted due to miscommunication. Radhe's affection for Nirjara transforms into an obsession. He abducts her. She responds by falling in love with him (Stockholm Syndrome, anyone?). Since sadbois can’t have happy ending, Tere Naam (2003) has to come up with a way to conclude the story in a way that Khan will seem heroic even while being defeated by circumstances. By which we mean a major brain injury, an unnecessary death and a mental asylum. #NoSpoilers 

3. Aditya Roy Kapur Aashiqui 2

Aditya Roy Kapur’s most memorable performance is Sadboi Supreme Rahul Jayakar, a rockstar drowning in his drink. He’s a broken man, but he wants to help Aarohi (Shraddha Kapoor) build her career. As he teeters between his love for music and personal demons, you know this can’t end well. Easily triggered and prone to taking extreme measures, Rahul is a handful, in the way of a ticking grenade. Fortunately, the soundtrack to his meltdown includes some great music by Mithoon, Jeet Gannguli, and Ankit Tiwari. Also Kapur’s eyes have sadness for days. 

4. Sanjay Dutt in Shabd

Sad doesn’t begin to describe the idea of Sanjay Dutt playing a Booker Prize-winning novelist, but then again, isn’t the point of fiction to imagine the impossible? Shaukat (Dutt) is a writer trying to make his characters seem as real as possible. Faced with writer’s block, he decides that the best way to get some writing done is to nudge his beautiful wife Antara (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) towards her co-worker, Yash (Zayed Khan). Unsurprisingly, this leads to heartbreak for Shaukat, which means multiple shots of Dutt crying while he’s typing his story (and then smiling through his pain), and even more of him crying in the rain — to which Shaukat’s domestic help responds with, “Again he’ll make a sopping mess in the house.” 

5. Dhanush in Raanjhanaa

Dhanush plays a persistent, bordering on problematic loverboy Kundan who falls deeply in one-sided love with Zoya (played by Sonam Kapoor). As Kundan experiences the highs and lows of love, the emotional rollercoaster transforms him from loverboy to sadboi. He yearns for Zoya’s love, winds up homeless, and sinks into a self-destructive spiral. It’s to Dhanush’s credit that he’s able to bring out the complexities of a heartbroken lover and evoke genuine emotions. Sure, he’s a little… extra, but you can’t help rooting for Kundan.