Escapist cinema!. Review on Devdas - New

SANJAY LEELA BHANSALI's DEVDAS......was one of the most awaited and hyped up film of 2003....and though the film recieved critical acclaim,commercial success and surprisingly a place in the OSCARS......I thought the film was too over-rated and did not deserve all the success and praise it has got.I haven't seen the old DEVDAS,so I cannot compare the two but the new one did not impress me at all.....it failed to live upto the expectations.Like KARAN JOHAR,ADITYA CHOPRA,SOORAJ BARJATYA......SLB too made an escapist fare,which had everything going for it,but lacked big time in SUBSTANCE.

SLB spent crores of ruppees on the film,roped in some of the biggest names in the industry to work for his film,he made every possible effort to make the film look like a visual delight,the mindboggling sets,gorgeous costumes,colours......everything was just perfect,but still the film is empty coz it does not move you emotionally.Since DEVDAS is a tragic love story......it has to touch your heart,emotionally engage you,you have too feel for the characters....but it fails on all these accounts.DEVDAS is like a beautiful painting which has no life or soul.SLB has concentrated so much on the look of the film.....that the film on the whole suffers.

I'ld not Go into the story coz everyone is aware of it by now.

I think one of the other mjor flaw of the film is the CASTING.....SHARUKH KHAN and AISHWARYA RAI,are just not suitable for playing DEVDAS and PARO.

SHARUKH KHAN.....i think he is too ordinary an actor to carry off a complex role like DEVDAS,He brings absolutely no novelty to his role......he is the same Sharukh we have been watching for so long,same mannerisms,expressions,irritating smile......i think a more intense actor like AJAY DEVGAN or AAMIR KHAN 'ld have been a better choice for the role.Sharukh just doesn't bring the required pain and pathos in his eyes and face.The only scene where I liked his acting was the climax.....when he dies.

AISHWARYA RAI.....Can anybody tell me what has she done in the film(other than looking pretty)to receive so many awards?She was plain mediocre in the film.....anyways she has no talent so to speak......all she can do is flutter her eyelashes,wear beautifUl clothes.....and dance gracefully,but when it comes too emoting she is far behind.

MADHURI DIXIT......as CHANDRAMUKHI was better compared to Sharukh and ASH,though she has less screen time compared to the other too.She impresses in her small role.

JACKIE SHROFF,SMITA JAYEKAR and KIRAN KHER......were at their over-acting best,they were so loud and dramatic.Jackie had a very ill-defined role.....and Was irritating as hell in the role of CHUNNIBABU.

I think nobody can bring the class and grace of actors like DILIP KUMAR,VIJANTIMALA,SUCHITRA SEN and MOTILAL....to screen ever again.They were born to play DEVDAS,PARO,CHANDRAMUKHI and CHUNNIBABU.

For SLB's standard DEVDAS was a pretty lousy effort by him.Some of the scenes were badly directed.....esp the opening scene,where everyone gets the news of devdas coming back to India,it was so annoying,everyone's constant shouting and dancing made the scene look so artificial.I only liked the last half an hour of the film.....when DEVDAS,is dying and Paro runs too him.....that was a brilliantly excecuted scene,none of the other scene made a impact on me.He could also have cut down on the melo-drama in the film....esp in the latter half.Also some of the songs DOLA RE DOLA and CHALAK CHALAK.....not only halt the proceedings of the film,but were not needed at all.They were just used to bring in the crowds.....which just shows that SLB didn't have enough confidence in his own film.And for a kind of film DEVDAS is...the story or script did not demand all the glit and glamour he has used in the film.....had he kept the proceedings plain and simple,the film would have made a better impact.At some point of time the film looked like a fashion show.....where everyone was splendidly decked up from head to toe in beautiful sarees and ornaments.....but is that what the film DEVDAS was suppose to be like?Where was the pain,angiush and pathos in the actors faces and eyes...for a tragic film all these emotions were lacking.

MUSIC was the strong point of the film.ISMAIL DARBAR.....came up with a splendid score,and deserved all praise for his effort.The songs were beautifully picturised too....esp HAMESHA TUMKO CHAHA.

So honestly I did not like DEVDAS one bit.....there is nothing in the film which will make me want to watch it again.All the rich sets,costumes.....can make you watch the film once,but for a film to stay in your memory for long.....it has to have a soul,which unfortunately DEVDAS doesn't have.I just don't want DEVDAS to win the OSCARS coz it doesn't deserve it or for that matter it didn't even deserve the Indian awards...but since everything is rigged here,it had too win.COMPANY OR LOBS......was a far better film and deserved all the awards,instead of DEVDAS....but sadly the more-deserving actors and films go un-notice.

I'ld rather prefer watching a simple and realistic film like DCH,LAGAAN,COMPANY,SAATHIYA......anyday,to a perfect but artificial K3G OR DEVDAS.