Devdas

Rating:
Summary: Visually Stunning Portrayal Of The Travails Of Love
Review: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Devdas", a movie adaptation of an Indian literary classic of the same name, is a sumptuous visual spectacle. As eye candy goes, Bollywood cinema doesn't get any sweeter than this. The sets are extravagant, the costumes lavish to their minute details, and the dance sequences are some of the best choreographed in the genre. It is unfortunate that the cinematography does not reach its fullest potential because it is too focused on housing sets, when sweeping scenic shots interspersed throughout the film would have given the movie the epic feel that it was undoubtedly striving for.

"Devdas", in a manner similar to "Romeo and Juliet", strays away from the formulaic and optimistic romance plot, and does not make the attempt to affirm the cliché that "love conquers all." "Devdas" seems to suggest that in some cases love not only does not conquer all, but it may, in some cases get conquered, and in that process, irreparably damage those who are in love.

The story commences with the matriarch of the Mukherjee family waiting in anticipation for Devdas (Shahrukh Khan), her son, who was sent away for a 10-year stint in England to be educated. Aside from family, Devdas return is also being expected by Paro (Aishwarya Rai), a childhood friend of Devdas, who accompanied by her mother, is of lower stature and wealth than Devdas' family. How is it that a childhood friendship, which is not strengthened by faithful communication during the separation period, could ever have grown into such a strong bond by the time Devdas returns, is part of the myth of "Devdas" that audiences have to swallow at the outset of this picture. Granted the notion becomes hard to swallow when Paro tells Devdas about the candle she has kept lit continuously for ten years in homage of him and how she has kept track of the hours, days, and minutes of their separation. It was at that point that I wanted to roll my eyes and tell this seemingly pathologically obsessed girl to get a life. Once you get past this, or at least ignore it, you easily get swept into this drama.

As the story unfolds, it is clear that Paro and her mother have designs to get Paro married to Devdas. Though Paro's mother and Devdas's mother have a long friendship which is blind to their differences in social stature, the machinations of Devdas's sister-in-law plants the seeds of mistrust in Devdas's mother and causes her to use the difference in class as a means to cruelly reject Paro's mother's proposal. In retaliation Paro's mother seeks to marry Paro off to an older man who surpasses the wealth of Devdas's family. Paro, in desperation, urges Devdas to marry her despite family squabbles, but Devdas being submissive to parental authority and tradition, rebuffs her, and spends the rest of the film regretting the fact that he did, and Paro ends up consigned to a loveless marriage. Devdas's guilt for not seizing the opportunity sets him on the road to an alcohol induced self-destructive period. The bulk of this film focuses on that period.

It's during this period of self-destruction that he lives with a carefree friend and they frequent a brothel. At this brothel Devdas meets a courtesan by the name of Chandramukhi, brilliantly played by veteran actress Madhuri Dixit. Dixit acting is superb, not to mention her beauty is spellbinding - far more so than the overrated Aishwarya Rai (I can name numerous Bollywood actresses that far surpass her in both poise and beauty, so I never understood why she gets so much credit). Chandramukhi's character is probably the most multifaceted character of the whole "Devdas" ensemble. She embodies sexiness, subversive zeal, iconoclasm, flirtatiousness, maternal caring, and virtue, which are an odd mix of traits for someone who is supposed to be a prostitute. The fact that Dixit can flesh out these traits in the portrayal of one character, whose very occupation would cause most, including Devdas, to judge her harshly, says much of Dixit as an actress.

Chandramukhi impulsively falls in love for Devdas. I suppose she is one of those types that gravitate towards broken men, and Devdas is as broken as they come. For all her beauty, charm, grace, and love for Devdas, he rejects her (by now I am thinking he has to be gay...just kidding) because he is fixated on his loss of Paro, and because his own self-righteousness bars him from falling for Chandramukhi, even though his instincts rightly incline him to want to be with her. The interplay between both Chandramukhi and Devdas is probably the most interesting dynamic in the film in that ironically, as a prostitute, she teaches the sanctimonious Devdas, with all his status oriented bourgeois morality, that sometimes acting by ones heart serves a greater moral purpose and yields the most happiness as opposed to subscribing to the strictures of tradition and puritanical morality. After all, if Devdas accepted Paro's plea to marry her as impetuously as Chandramukhi lives her life, both Devdas and Paro's life would not be in the shambles that they are in.

Despite Chandramukhi's nurturing of Devdas, her efforts cannot save him. Ultimately, he takes the impulsive leap that he should have taken in the beginning, but his effort is too late to save his relationship to Paro and the gates of opportunity literally close on both of them.

Many may walk away from the film seeing this purely as a sad tale that offers a cynical valuation of love. Yet, even in this film, which is inundated with tears and lamentation, love works in some redemptive capacity in that it transforms Devdas from a weak man who could not act on his love, to a man who could act on his love because he was loved, unconditionally, by another. So I suppose, in some sense, love did conquer after all.

Rating:
Summary: The BEST Movie!!!!
Review: I cannot stop telling everyone how much I LOVE this movie. I have been watching Hindi movies since I was born basically, and Devdas has to be my favorite movie EVER. Shah Rukh Khan plays Devdas(Deva), the son of a wealthy landowner in 1930's India. Paro, played deflty and amazingly by the ever beautiful Aishwarya Rai is his neighbor of slightly lower caste. The story revolves around the tragic love of these two characters and the love of Chandramukhi (played by Madhuri Dixit), whom Devdas inadvertently meets while trying to drown out his sorrow over losing Paro. EVERYBODY, Indian or not, MUST see this film. The acting is incredible, the sets and costumes beyond breathtaking, the background score simply perfect, the musical numbers placed appropriatley to mesh completely with the film, and the direction flawless. Even the opening credits will take your breath away. Whatever you do, you cannot miss this film. Trust me.

Rating:
Summary: Not worth it!
Review: Don't buy this Dvd!
1. It's too expensive.
2. The movie is very slow and boring.

Rating:
Summary: Not the Best Devdas movie!
Review: There have been 3 Devdas movies made (to my knowledge) and this certainly is the worst of all 3. Although this one features musical sequences which are more livid than any you'll find in the previous Devdas movies, directing and acting makes this film unbearable after watching it once. Yes, after convincing myself to watch through the entire movie I felt betrayed and asked myself "WHY???". So, still many people will love this movie for Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwariya Rai and Madhuri Dixit. However, in my opinion all three turned in the most horrible performances of their career here. The best acting performance of the movie comes from the veteran Jackie Shroff who plays the friend to obnoxious Devdas character. If you're not too much into indian movies and watch them occasionaly I will ask you to watch movies called Bazigar, Anjaam and Darr. And when you compare the acting by SRK from those with the one here, you will see how bad an actor he really is. Extremely one dimensional and extremely boring after years of "shockingly" similar acting performances.

I suggest you get the musical pieces from this movie, which by themselves are pretty lavish and good. But if you really want to get a feel for Devdas you should torture your eyes to the Black & White version starring Dilip Kumar (aka Yousuf Khan).

Rating:
Summary: Once In A Lifetime!!
Review: Devdas is truly a once in a lifetime experience! If you've never experienced a Bollywood film before, I would DEINITELY say to start of with Devdas. Bollywood films are basically all musicals and have a completely different feel and style than anything Hollywood.

Musically, Devdas has the best soundtrack I've even heard. Dola Re Dola and Silsila Ye Chaahat Ka are especially captivating, but every single track is beyond amazing. The exotic Indian culture is played up in everything from the music, to the elaborate costumes and breathtaking sets. The choreography for every song is traditional Indian dancing, and the precision and exactness required of every movement is unbelievable.

Shahrukh Khan, the undisputed king of Bollywood, plays the lead role in this film. Former Miss Universe Aishwarya Rai plays the female lead of Paro. The movie starts of light and progressively becomes tragic as Devdas and Paro are forced apart. Devdas becomes a drunk and finds solace in the courtesan Chandramuki, in attempt to chase away his longing for Paro. Madhuri Dixit's character, Chandramukhi, tones down the slightly excessive acting of Khan and Rai, and adds depth to the film which might be wanting otherwise.

Devdas will undoubtedly become favorites of veteran Bollywooders and novices alike. This DVD is a MUST HAVE.

Rating:
Summary: OH. MAN. WOW.
Review: If you don't like sad endings, you'll somehow manage to save a place in your heart for this spectacular tragedy. I'll tell you up front, it's a massacre of emotions at the end. You will cry. You will think yourself unable to bear watching this movie again.

And then you remember the cute little song at the beginning. You watch that. Then you skip forward to the powerhouse dance number, "Dhola Re". Then you catch the awesome dance just before the half-time intermission. And then... you start over and cry through it all one more time.

This movie will haunt you. Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan start off powerfully enough, but then Madhuri Dixit starts hoofing and before you can say, "Didn't she play a prostitute in that movie?", you're whipping out your copy of Munna Bhai MBBS to check out the freshman hazing scene to see how they match up with Aishu and Madhuri.

BUY THIS DVD. It will kick your butt and paint you purple with pleasure. Way more than that Linkin Park CD you were considering purchasing as a doorstop. Worst case, you got an exotic Indian doorstop, but I think not. Get over it being in Hindi and BUY IT! Then buy all the other movies with Shah Rukh in 'em. Except Ye Lamhe Judaai Ke. That one reeked. How it got released is another story. THIS ONE IS AWESOME! FOCUS ON THIS MOVIE, FOOL MORTAL!

Rating:
Summary: There are better movies
Review: Devdas is a lot like any other indian movie. A farfetched love story, weak plot, and stupid acting. The characters can be clearly defined under a catagory of good or bad. Sharukh Kahn's acting is predictable and sappy. Aishwariya Rai's acting seems to lack in depth. As for Madhuri, she sticks to her usual routine of smiling and acting innocent. The jewelry,clothing and decor is lovely. However if you notice, in the song DOLA RE DOLA, the curtains are off center. On the plus side, the songs are absolutly magnificent, with great choreography (esp. in DOLA RE DOLA). If u really want to watch a good indian movie, I suggest Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. It's beginning may be cheesy, but the ending is magnificent.

Rating:
Summary: Devdas: A Bollywood Masterpiece
Review: Devdas is simply incredible. The plot is quite straight forward and does not offer the viewer alot of twists and turns in terms of story. It sticks to its period with its simplicity however. The directing, cinematography, choreography, acting, costumes, locations and musical directing are all outstanding. You will be most fortunate if you ever in your life see another movie as beautiful as this.

Rating:
Summary: A divine reverie of emotion
Review: DEVDAS is an exceptional Indian movie you will want to see more than once. The superlative dancing, brilliant acting, luxurious costumes and magnificent scenery all contribute to this film's greatness. If there could be one word that describes this movie, according to its creator Sanjay Leela Bhansali, that word would be 'emotion'.

The film is a tone piece, a sustained study of emotions from beginning to end. The male star is Shahrukh Khan - yes, the most famous & loved man on the planet, adored by literally millions. Nicknamed SRK, Shahrukh is the consummate skilled actor whose magic takes you inside his heart.

In the 1950's film 'Rebel Without a Cause' James Dean showed us the anti-John Wayne hero who cries openly, displaying feelings of loving tenderness. SRK has this same genius. It is as if both men wear their nerves outside their skin, giving the audience entry to feelings we normally suppress.

From beginning to end, the film 'Devdas' is thick with intense emotions. Childhood sweethearts are forced to separate through the usual deadly sin of pride. Devdas, the hero played by Shahrukh Khan, with a single minded determination then proceeds to drink himself to death, drowning his sorrows in alcohol - ever tormented by suffering pain and guilt, the loss of his one true love. Life's one chance of happiness, lost.

As most of you may know, alcoholics are anything but heroic; they are selfish cruel children, hurting any and all who love them. SRK has said that his character is spineless, with a mean streak. Only within the realm of Shahrukh's unique imagination and superior creative talents, does Devdas' stumbling, surrounded by beauty and love, down into degradation and narcissistic death become art.

The two women mega-stars in this film are so famous in India that they don't even bother to print their names on the DVD. Aishwarya Rai (Ash), a former Miss World, has an exotic, delicate kind of doe-eyed gazelle beauty that becomes more mysterious the more you look at her. She plays the childhood sweetheart who is forced into a loveless marriage for money and social status.

However in my opinion, it is the courtesan Chandramukti, played by Madhuri Dixit, who steals the show. Hopelessly and unconditionally in love with the wounded Devdas, Chandramukti's dancing is the perfection of ritualized desire and eroticism. A more classical beauty, Madhuri Dixit is a highly accomplished dancer. Her magical performances of an improvised form of Bharata Natyam are mesmerizing, enticing, and out of this world dazzling.

Classical Indian dance follows a strict form, but - like a raga - that form is meant to be improvised within and has absorbed many influences. There are many, many forms of Bharata Natyam and you will notice some modern stylistic elements in the 'Devdas' choreography - and the music.

Bharata Natyam is a form of yoga and the dancer must be more than skilled at the gestures and postures, which are the realization of intense feelings. The dance is intended to not only make the dancer 'One' with the higher frequencies, but also to draw the audience up into those realms.

India has always understood that creation is the manifestation of desire. Desire lies at the Heart of all things. Desire, passion, feelings of love, loss and separation drive each and every one of us. It is our capacity to FEEL that will bring us Home. The film 'Devdas' is a reverie of both human and divine emotion, feeling, and desire. Indulge.
V.Susan Ferguson

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful peoples All Dressed Glamorously. Wheeeee.
Review: This is the greatest Indian epic of all time. The story of the great love that King Sharukh had for the maiden Aishwaria, is one of the great stories in Indian mythology. And the filmization, or picturization if you will, presented here by the great Sailesh Bhansali or whatever his name is, is a testament to the great and wonderful creative geniuses who propmote the wonderful Indian cinema throughout the world.
As you can see, I have absolutely no standards, and essentially love all Indian films, or "flims " if you will, which present us with beautiful looking actors in a bright light and light skinned make-up which makes them all have lovely light skin, or "fair-skin" if you will, and which portray Indians as living glamorously in collosal mansions and covered in gold jewelry and unimaginably extravagant clothes. It is a wonderful flim which presents the real India to the world and we should be proud of our great and brilliant thinkers in Bollywood. They have captured this beloved and age-old legend of the great Prince ShahRuk's tortured love for the complex queen of the Ganges, Aishwaria. It is a tale as old os time, and it is one which the Indian paople have waited for a long time to see on the screen, with beautiful, light-skinned superstars portraying the legendary characters surrounded by great opulance and elaborate Bollywood sets and lighting, which are so much beloved by our peoples. It is the greatest movie ever made.