In an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla, actor Dino Morea made striking claims about his 2002 horror film Raaz, stating it was more profitable than Shah Rukh Khan’s Devdas despite both films releasing in the same year. The actor, who starred opposite Bipasha Basu, also expressed his desire to work on a sequel to the original film.
Dino Morea On Raaz Versus Devdas Profitability
Dino Morea discussed the commercial performance of Raaz in comparison to Devdas during his conversation with Pinkvilla.
The actor stated: “Yes, that film was a big rage agar uss saal ko dekhiye uss saal vo bhi release hui Shah Rukh ki picture, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas but if you look at the numbers, humne apni picture mein kitna kharcha kiya aur kitna paisa kamaya (how much did we spend on our film and earned) or Devdas… Ours was the bigger, higher grossing film of that year.”
He acknowledged: “Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas was a big film with Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai in terms of perception but if you look at kamaai aur kharcha (earnings and spending), Raaz was actually a very profitable film.”
Dino Morea’s claims focus on profitability rather than absolute box office collections, emphasizing the budget-to-earnings ratio. Raaz, produced on a modest budget, required lower collections to achieve profitability compared to the lavishly mounted Devdas.
Dino Morea On Raaz Award Recognition
Dino Morea expressed disappointment about the limited award recognition Raaz received despite its commercial success and popular music.
The actor stated: “Halanki humein do hi award mila aur gaane ke liye kuch nahin… uss film ke gaane sabse mashoor aur aaj bhi log sunte hain vo gaane ka ek award bhi nai mila (We got 2 awards but none for songs. That film had quite popular songs back then and even today).”
He mentioned the film received awards for “nayi jodi” (new pair) for himself and Bipasha Basu, but noted the music received no recognition despite songs like “Jo Bhi Kasmein” and “Aapke Pyaar Mein” becoming extremely popular.
Raaz Film Legacy And Cultural Impact
Raaz, released in 2002 and directed by Vikram Bhatt, became one of Bollywood’s most memorable horror films. The Raaz soundtrack, composed by Nadeem-Shravan, remains popular over two decades after release.
Dino Morea noted that Raaz was a rage at the time of its release even when social media didn’t exist, highlighting the film’s organic popularity through word-of-mouth.
The film’s success contributed to establishing Bipasha Basu as Bollywood’s “horror queen” and revitalizing the horror genre in mainstream Hindi cinema.
Dino Morea’s Plans For Raaz Sequel
Dino Morea revealed he has discussed creating a sequel to the original Raaz with producer Mukesh Bhatt.
The actor shared: “Maine baat bhi ki with Mukesh ji, the producer. Why don’t we make a Raaz 2 from there, living it from there, jahan Bipasha aur meri kahaani shuru hoti hai uske baad kya hota hai (where mine and Bipasha’s story begins… what happens after).”
He elaborated: “I have an idea of a story toh agar we get the permission, and we get the rights to mere pass ek kahaani already hai taiyaar ki wahan se hum kaise aaj ki duniya mein aaj jo modern duniya mein vahan see aaj tak kaise yeh continue kar sakte hain (I have a story ready from there to the modern world how we can continue) that I would like to do.”
Dino Morea has developed a storyline that would:
- Continue directly from the original Raaz ending
- Update the narrative to contemporary settings
- Maintain continuity with the original characters
- Bridge the time gap between 2002 and present day
Raaz Franchise Films
While Dino Morea discusses a direct sequel to the original film, the Raaz franchise has continued with multiple films without narrative continuity:
- Raaz: The Mystery Continues (2009) – Starring Emraan Hashmi and Kangana Ranaut
- Raaz 3 (2012) – Starring Emraan Hashmi, Bipasha Basu, and Esha Gupta
- Raaz Reboot (2016) – Starring Emraan Hashmi and Kriti Kharbanda
These sequels used the Raaz brand name but told independent stories. Dino Morea’s interest lies in creating a true sequel that continues the original narrative.
Devdas 2002: Production Context
Devdas, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and starring Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Madhuri Dixit, featured lavish period sets, elaborate costumes, major star cast with premium fees, and extensive marketing campaigns.
The film’s production values and scale resulted in a significantly higher budget compared to Raaz, making profitability more challenging despite strong box office collections. This comparison highlights different business models in Bollywood filmmaking and the relationship between budget scale and profitability.
