Ahmed Zaman Shimul
The once-popular star couple of Tollywood, Dev and Subhashree, are set to appear together on screen again after a long hiatus. Known fondly by fans as ‘Deshu’, the duo not only began their film careers around the same time, but also fell in love while acting opposite each other in a string of hits.
Their relationship blossomed quietly, away from the public eye, until their eventual breakup in 2015 shocked fans and halted the release of ‘Dhumketu’ — a film now finally set to hit cinemas on August 14.
The separation, which took place during the shooting of Dhumketu, cast a long shadow over the project. Subhashree had wanted to settle down and start a family, while Dev, newly catapulted to stardom, was not ready for such commitment. During the filming of a wedding scene, Subhashree reportedly left the set in tears, driving home alone and crying the entire 50-minute journey.
In the years that followed, the two avoided each other completely — even blocking each other on social media. Promotion for the long-delayed film was also carried out separately. Yet, fans continued to hope for a reunion, at least for a joint appearance.
That hope was realised at the trailer launch event, where Dev and Subhashree finally came face to face. The ice between them began to thaw. When asked by the host Rohan whether they would follow each other on social media again, Dev revealed that Subhashree was still on his block list.
In front of the audience, he unblocked and followed her. Subhashree, in turn, called her assistant on stage, retrieved her phone, and followed him back. A decade of silence ended in a moment of shared laughter and nostalgia.
The two originally met during the filming of Raj Chakraborty’s Challenge in 2009, and their chemistry deepened in ‘Paran Jai Jaliya Re’. Echoing a memorable scene from ‘Challenge’, Subhashree asked Dev on stage, “Will you be friends with me?” Dev responded, “Why?” prompting the audience to cheer, “Yes!” The two shook hands — an emotional moment for long-time fans.
They did not stop there. At Dev’s request, the pair even danced together — without any rehearsal — to the songs ‘Paran Jai Jaliya Re’, ‘Romeo’, and ‘Khoka Babu’. Both also took the opportunity to praise one another.
Despite the long absence from the screen, the return of the Deshu pair has stirred tremendous excitement. Subhashree reflected on this, saying, “Dev and I didn’t try that hard to keep this pair alive. But the audience, with their love, emotions, tears and joy, kept us alive.” Dev added, “You can’t remove ‘Deva’ from Subhashree’s name, nor ‘Subhashree’ from Dev’s. Children even write our names together in place of ‘Dev-Devi’ in schools.”
He continued, “At least in this lifetime, I won’t be able to remove Subhashree from my name, and she won’t be able to remove me from hers — whenever our pair is mentioned.”
When asked whether they would consider working together again, both agreed that if the right script, director and producer come along, they are open to it. However, while Subhashree expressed interest in working under Dev’s production banner, she admitted she would not be able to persuade him to act in her own productions.
In a humorous turn, fans demanded that Dev should take on the project without charging any fee.
Since their split, both have moved on with their lives. Subhashree took a four-year break from acting and is now married to director Raj Chakraborty, enjoying family life with their children.
Dev, meanwhile, is in a relationship with Rukmini Maitra.
While Dhumketu may mark a nostalgic reunion, whether the thawed ice remains melted is something only time will tell.