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Director: Anurag Kashyap
Back when love was a compendium of silences and sighs, Devdas was an icon. These days, when it's more a matter of working off those pesky hormones as quickly as possible, the legendary lover is regarded as a champion loser.
In ‘Dev D’, Anurag Kashyap and Abhay Deol dust him off and resurrect him, making of him just another guy who goes at romance with all the arrogance and prickliness and insecurities of a young man. Recognise yourself in him? Dev's (Abhay) childhood sweetheart Paro (Mahi Gill) has all of these qualities, tempered by the essential female-ness of her. When, in a fit of jealous pique, he throws her off, she doesn't beg or grovel: she turns her back on him, too. Recognise yourself in her?
The film invites you to come along on a stunning multi-layered journey---the psychedelic contours of the overloaded-on-substance, on-the-verge-of-losing-it mind, the physical degradation of the body, the slow dissolution of the spirit. With Anurag and Abhay, (whose idea it was in the first place), ‘Dev D’ becomes one of those rare films which is all of a piece: every single frame is where it should be. As Dev and Paro part ways, Chanda aka Chandramukhi (Kalki) enters the equation, and the film steadies into its triangular groove, rocking to an inverted, just-right climax.
In this virtuoso re-working of the Devdas story, there's none of the obfuscatory self-indulgence that marred Kashyap's last outing, ‘No Smoking'. The cast is perfect for their parts. Debutante Mahi Gill is no Bollywoodized phoolkari-dupatta-wearing ingénue: she dresses, moves and behaves like a feisty girl who's been born and brought up in sugarcane country in rural Punjab. The other first-timer, Kalki, is astonishingly apt too: her journey from a traumatized schoolgirl (based on the MMS scandal emanating from one of Delhi's top schools a few years ago) to a role-playing, phone sex-worker Chanda, is riveting. The first is raw and sensuous, the other raises the lust-meter as high as any red-blooded male can handle, but both are heart-stoppingly, blatantly alive, needy, looking-for-love-with-sex-as-a-by-product real girl-women.
But it is Abhay who makes this thing sing. His Devdas is both eerily similar to the others who've played the part (Kashyap cheekily references posters and scenes from SRK's `Devdas' in a couple of scenes), as well as completely his own. Spoilt rich brat, king-of-the-castle, center-of-the-universe, the kind of male who is always so sorry for himself, that he can't see anyone else as clearly. Right from the attire—jeans, Tees, strap-across-the-chest-bag--- to the attitude—love me, love me, love me-- this joint-rolling, alcohol-swilling ( Coke, vodka ‘ke saath’, is his line in seedy bars) Devdas wears his victimhood with panache, blaming others for the `emosional atyachaar' (one of the eighteen sparkling songs Amit Trivedi and Amitabh Bhattacharya have created for the film: sometimes the film seems too stuffed with the background music, but that's a very minor quibble) being wrecked upon him, but reserving the right to a chuckle in the middle of it all.
Dissolution, despair, and redemption—the film unerringly hits all the right notes of a life sliding down the precipice, teetering on the edge, and drawing back from the brink, at the very last moment. 'Dev D' is a contemporary classic. Watch it, whatever else you do.
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it was awesome movie........
it was an awesome movie.I liked the movie because of its colour.It was entirely unique and a fine cinematography.It is one of the best performances by Abhay deol i have ever seen.
m surprised wen ppl say dat dis is modern devdas...coz i cudnt even think of comparing it.the core of this movie is sex....well thats wot i observed..i dont knw y did i plan 2 go 4 dis movie..i dint like it at all.throughout the film i was luking at my watch..i was waiting any turning point in the movie.bt to my dismay...there ws nothin as such...has our generation becum so weird..common guys wake up....
I actually liked this movie.............its more realistic!!!!!Just one complain... end is very abrupt!!!!
I dont agree with this...thougthe story makes a impression that it is dark filled with sex....interestingly there is no vulgar sex scene in this movie...if you have doubt watch it again...awesome movie...just loved it and its music
I just liked the movie to the core of my heart..i felt for it
hi all. just saw the movie due to the generally 4 and 5 star reviews the movie has been getting. i was disappointed with what the movie had to offer. i do not think the movie is at all very special. the attempt may have been to portray certain modern realities and lifestyle disorders facing the youth in india today. however, i think the scope seems very very narrow and much too graphic. the characters are a stray case and certainly do not represent even a small section of society anywhere in india. i do believe that the youth of today are far more resilient and in fact ironically may actually treat broken hearts in a far less dramatic fashion. sometimes it can be a mistake to try and make a film or try to portray it "too realistically". reality actually can be very different. i did enjoy a few scenes though and especially the hilarious "emotional atyaachaar" song.
wow!! loved the comparison with falling off the roof!!the movie ofcourse is sheer brilliance and so is Abhay!!
Why is'nt anyone mentioning the exceptionally lackluster dialogue delivery by each of the actors. I mean they were phenomenally good in scenes that required them to keep their traps shut but almost excruciatingly lame when they had to speak. The movie certainly had a few very brilliant scenes but there were enough that were down right pathetic, lacking in substance and direction. Can we for once CRITIQUE a movie and not just praise it blindly. Is'nt that what a 'movie review' is supposed to be?????
can you be more specific as to where you found the dialogue delivery "exceptionally lackluster" ?So far in all the reviews i've read, people have either hated it thoroughly or loved it immensely... so i don't think anyone is praising it blindly. I incidentally am in the second half.
I just dont understand why do people like Deepa C who havent even watched the movie want to comment on it? This is a movie review forum and here ppl who has watched the movie has the right to comment on it and not ppl like you
the rise and rise of indian cinema
Another Devdas, who has enough courage to bear the saga again? I tried and this movie turned out to be sweet refereshing surprise. You would fall in love with Abhay.D's character. Music and background score would comple to watch the movie the second time. Paro and Chanda are cooler than ever.
kudos to the director for risking a movie with abhay deol and the debutantes.But, Devdas as a subject is the most risky sep and it paid off.personally speaking, Devdas should never have been written about in History.
Awsome movie . . Everything was perfect . . Abhay was rockin . . . Indian bob marley . . 5 stars
JUST AWSOME. BUT IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH B'COZ IT DESERVES MORE.
gOING TO WATCH THIS MOVEI THIS SUNDAY AND BIT EXITED ALSO.
bakwas
Great movie! You can actually relate to the characters in it..
this-is-a-nice-review...we-need-more!
I have never understood our Indian cinema's need to make and remake the story of a complete self absorbed Loser. The moment a film maker achieves some importance or financial security he wants to do Devdas. Every country has stories that are told and retold thru the ages - the British do an excellent job with theirs. Every generation has a Robin Hood, Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice character they enjoy watching and identify with. I am yet to meet a fellow Indian who says - Wow, I loved that portrayal of Devdas., let alone one who actually sat throught the entire movie. Who are the super rich specimen who finance these wasteful attempts at portraying a Loser? Why not finance retelling of stories of people with some character, some positive values, whose lives have some meaning? Who wants to be a loser? I have'nt been able to watch this stupid story even once, and I wont waste my money trying again. Ever.
deepa..girl u have to watch the movie..i hope u have already coz i just did..i know where u come from but this is something else!!im sure if u watched the movie u'd wish u cud delete ure comment!! :)
Deepaji.. before you say.. "The moment a film maker achieves some importance or financial security he wants to do Devdas"you have to keep in mind that the previous movie made by anurag kashyap was NO SMOKING for which he was bashed left, right and center both by crtics and by the audience. That is where he got inspiration to make devdas... the story of a self-involved person whom no one is willing to give a second chance...and when it comes to financing... Bhansali's devdas was made on a budget of 50 crores whereas dev d is made on a budget of 6 crores. (which is probably what sharukh alone would charge for a role).About sitting through the movie... well i havent seen any previous versions of devdas, but I saw this one twice... in theatre... (which is very rare for me)
Deepa you are mad...and people like u having on this indian planet will not accept diiferent concepts and somthing different made by the indian cinema...u can luk at hollywood ...they make piece of shit films at tymz but the us audience accept it if its on a different subject...so its better u go and watch or better u dont comment on it...coz the movie dev d rocked and emotional atyachar,payalia,nayan tarse,pardesi are the favourite tracks of the movie...paisa vasool for sure...!!!!!and i must say anurag kashyap was xcellent in his direction and with story and abhay deol is an actor which needs a round of applause for his performance in dev d and aswell the two newcomers(the actresses) mahii gill as paro and kalki as chanda wer gud enugh as debutant....GR8 JOb DEV D.......itz an emotinal GR* atyachar 4 sure....!!!!
DEV D is something different ........please go and watch it.......you will understand wat it is
Devdas is not bad because he is "a complete self-absorbed loser." There can be a grandeur in losing. Rana Pratap remains a hero despite the fact that he lost to Akbar. Bruno lost to the Inquisition. Devdas is bad because he stands for nothing, he does nothing. He is, in fact, worse than a loser, for a loser fights and loses the battle. Devdas does not fight, or do anything. Everything happens to him. He just dissipates himself.Indians' fascination for Devdas shows the weakness of their character.
Yeah let get back Sunny Deol. that would be something of a "Dare to think beyond Devadas".
Rightly said Deepa, your views are understandable and certainly waste to spend on this type of Character which is outdated.Really the money should be spent on various characters which everybody can love and atleast enjoy if not derive them ...
Good for you Deepa madam. Never watch it and all that, hope someone makes a Indian Robin Hood. In the meantime, I like the review and I love the music. Well Written