Browse Sections

• Music
• Bollywood
• Arts
• Film trailers
• Food and drink

Devdas

1/ 8/2002

DEVDAS starring Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai

THIS is the film I have been waiting for all year. It's the most expensive Bolly film ever made and is the fourth screen version of the classic Bengali novel by Surat Chandra.

Shah Rukh Khan plays the role of lovelorn tragic alcoholic Devdas who loses his childhood sweetheart Paro (Aishwarya). He is the son of a landowner and Paro is his poor neighbour and because of these class differences they are prevented from getting married.

Pining Paro is forced to marry an ageing widower while Devdas goes to Calcutta and takes to the bottle. At night he spends his time in an upper class kota (brothel) with beautiful and caring dancer Chandramukhi (Madhuri). She actually loves Devdas but cannot prevent him from become a slave to drink.

All three actors give a superb performance in this film. Madhuri is particularly brilliant and her dances and costumes are breathtaking. Aishwarya has shown she is more than just a pretty face. She carries off playing the innocent and vulnerable Paro very well.

It is Shah Rukh's portrayal that sometimes lacked depth and complexity. He was supposed to be a man with a broken heart but he just looked like an alcoholic (the aim was to be both).

The set of the kota where the major part of the film was made was very grand and it set the atmosphere for the whole film. Because of the film's sumptuous settings do you best to avoid pirate copies and enjoy it on the big screen.

SB