Devdas

DEVDAS (2002) is a beautifully mounted romantic melodrama based on a popular Indian novel published in 1917. When I first read about the film and its enthusiastic reception at Cannes, I had high hopes that this might become the first Bollywood film to cross over to arthouse audiences in the U.S. While watching it, however, it became clear that the class-conflict narrative would be a tough sell these days with its supremely overwrought tale of parental disapproval, family honor, unrequited love, and two beautiful women's complete and utter devotion to an irredeemably dissipated man who is left with nothing. It's also more deeply rooted in Hindi culture than the other Bollywood movies I've seen and would most benefit a viewer who had more than a passing knowledge of it.

In comparing DEVDAS to MOHABBATEIN (2000) and TAAL (1999), the other Bollywood musicals I've seen, I would cite a few Hollywood parallels. DEVDAS is like a Jeanette MacDonald-Nelson Eddy MGM musical of the 1930s (e.g. MAYTIME, 1937, with which it shares some surprising similarities) to MOHABBATEIN's SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS or TAAL's BYE BYE BIRDIE. (When I saw MOHABBATEIN I also thought of WEST SIDE STORY and GREASE.)

I enjoyed MOHABBATEIN and TAAL much more, but I was still gripped by DEVDAS and its high romantic expression of love through song, dance, and incredibly rich, poetic dialogue. It's a powerfully old-fashioned film, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

I have not seen the other previous versions of Devdas, but as far as this Devdas goes, I can say that it is really difficult to transform such an old and popular story into such an amazing film without being boring, and the director has successfully managed this task.

The set decorators, choreographers and the costume designers must be lauded very very highly. It is truly amazing and a real pleasure to just even observe these three elements. Of course, Aishwarya Rai (Parvati) is so incredibly beautiful, the camera loves her, and she sparkles like a diamond. Still, (also credited above Aishwarya) Madhuri Dixit (Chandramukhi) is the real acting talent.

I had great pleasure watching this lyric melodrama, although it lasted about three hours, it deserves all kinds of appraisal.

I was lucky enough to see this in the theater in the United States when it first came out. I had seen a few Shahrukh Khan films on tape (thanks to a friend), and when I noticed "Devdas" in the online movie listings, I decided to go have a look at what would be my first Hindi film in a theater. I was the only Anglo in a packed house and I aroused as much curiosity as I felt.

I was completely blown away by Devdas, from the first moment of the opening credits to the last bitter tear on Paro's cheek. Every shot, every frame of this film is like an artist's canvas. Aishwarya Rai is breathtakingly gorgeous, Madhuri Dixit's quiet beauty increases with each scene, and Shahrukh has never looked so good. All the supporting actors are incredible, particularly Jackie Shroff as Chuni-babu and Kiron Kher as Paro's mother.

The sets and the costumes are fabulously opulent...almost too fabulous, in fact, and at times threaten to overwhelm the story. But I was far too enthralled in the theater to do anything but gasp in open-mouthed wonder, and enjoy.

The story of Devdas, a famous Indian novel written in the 1920's by Saratchandra Chattopadhyay, has been made into film numerous times by Bollywood. It is about the spoiled son of a wealthy man, who is loved by Paro, his lower caste neighbor and childhood playmate. Devdas is a weak, aimless sort who is blown about by destiny, never taking action until it is too late. He is unable to recognize his love for Paro until she has been married off to an older man and is lost to him forever. He then turns to the bottle, and to the prostitute Chandramukhi, for comfort and forgetfulness.

This story will probably be hard for westerners to relate to...there is no corresponding literature of the west that I can think of...perhaps Romeo & Juliet is closest. Bhansali's version differs in many respects from previous versions, and from the book, in that Devdas is a more forceful presence who declares his love for Paro, only to be kept apart by scheming family members. In the novel, however, it is Devdas' own flawed character that keep the lovers apart. He is simply too weak and indecisive to know what he wants until it is taken away forever.

Having seen the earlier Dilip Kumar/Bimal Roy version, and read the novel, I can say that Shahrukh Khan truly made the character his own and breathed a new life into Devdas, making him more lovable, and more a victim of fate than of his own tragic weakness. In the novel, and in the earlier Bimal Roy film, Devdas has almost no personality at all...he moves through the story like a mere shadow, and we only see his character reflected in the love of the two women who worship him.

Much attention has been given to Aishwarya Rai for her performance, which I agree was outstanding. She is almost inhumanly beautiful in this film. When I saw this in the theater I was in half love with her myself.

But it was Chandramukhi who haunted me after the film was over. Madhuri Dixit deserves much, much more attention than she has received for her wonderful performance, which has been relegated to a "supporting" role, when actually her role is every bit equal in importance to that of Paro. Chandramukhi is the only character in the film who is completely unselfish in her love...her love is the purest of the three, because she loves with no expectation of being loved in return. While Devdas and Paro are busy destroying each other's chances for happiness, Chandramukhi's love is always uplifting and positive.

Besides the award-winning performances (Devdas swept all the Bollywood popular awards in 2003) and the fabulous sets and costumes, Dedas has one of the best music scores I've ever heard, and dance numbers to match. I wished the opening number, Mere Piyar (performed by Rai), could have gone on forever, and toward the end Dola Re Dola (performed by Dixit and Rai) is a treat. Some viewers felt that the up-beat drinking song Chalak Chalak (performed by Khan, Shroff and Dixit) was out of place in such a dramatic story, but it is my favorite number in the movie.

There are so many things to recommend this film, I could go on, but I will just call it a masterpiece of Indian cinema and leave it at that.

What can I say, Devdas is a spectacular classic on par with Gone With the Wind and Cecil B. DeMille. At first I was pleased that there was an English version, and I would not have to read subtitles BUT - IT'S CUT!!! The final song is missing, and parts of most of the other songs are snipped. Whole scenes are missing!!!! Luckily I watched the Hindi version first. It is far superior in that it is complete, plus it looks better. I did need the English version to iron out some of the plot - although a couple of the scenes that I needed translated had been cut. In future, if they are not going to English version the whole movie, subtitles are better. Dola Re is the best song/dance number ever!!!!!!!!!!

I owned this film for 8 months but did not see it because of all the negative hype on the board. Then I took the plunge. First off let me say that I was not a great Saratchandra admirer. His stories (except SWAMI) mostly portrayed women as weak minded, subservient (maybe true to the time, but not to be admired), and men as weak and mostly well bred but not well educated. I had no real recollection of the story as written. And, not being a great Dilip Kumar fan, I never watched the old version. So, I have no comparisons to draw, no plot line differences to talk about.

I came away moved by the tragic love story that unfolded. It was not flawless, most Bollywood movies are not.

Negatives - the sets were beautiful but over the top, ditto for the costumes. The duo dance was a great way to compare Aish vs Madhuri dancing skills (both were pretty even matched for me) but in the story line it was quite silly and should not have been there. There was no real need for the the two to meet, but this was Mr, Bhansali's directorial license. Chandramukhi's kotha and environs were lifted straight from Pakeezah, which was a very stylized movie and not authentic.

Positives: Shahrukh Khan gave a very restrained performance, the silent tears accompanied with an anguish that only his eyes portrayed was a real departure from the screwed-up face crying. He was very very good in the drunk bits, very good in the anguished bits. It is remarkable how much this actor is accused of being typecast when every other year he pulls out an amazing performance - Dil Se (1998), Asoka (2001) and Devdas (2002) are all departures from his usual typecast romantic hero image. Recent roles in Swades and KANK are even more varied. The detractors will keep saying he overacted, or he portrayed no emotions, for me this was a truly great role as an anguished lover. Mr. Khan - your best actor award for this role in Devdas was well deserved.

Madhuri - what can one say about this truly great icon? She was amazing, you felt her pain, her caring, her selfless love, the moments between her and Shahrukh sizzled. And her dancing was brilliant.

Aish - was a bit wooden at times, but not always. She had a chemistry with Shahrukh that was understated until she was beyond his reach, but come on - the woman looks amazing, is there any doubt that a hundred Devdas types are dying for her?? She was better as the movie progressed to the more serious part.

The movie went into an emotional downward spiral a third of the way in and I sat there moved and almost crying for these tortured souls the rest of the two hours.

The movie was eye candy in the sets and costumes department. The two leading ladies were stunning, Shahrukh was easy on the eye, yet there was something that did detract from this being a great film. Upon much thinking I have come to the conclusion that it was the over the top beauty of everything that really made everything a little unreal for me. How could such perfect people have such imperfect lives? In essence the little black mark on the lip was missing and that left me a little dissatisfied.

If Mr. Bhansali had stated that this was an adaptation from the original novel, people would forgive him the fact that Devdas in his version is a mature man and knows his mind (although fails to act decisively on it), and the fact that an aristocratic lady visits a courtesan's establishment and the two dance together.

If you do not compare with what did or did not come before, this was an intense emotional experience, anchored by great performances from Shahrukh, Madhuri and yes, even Aish.