Jun 23, 2004 05:42 PM
5828 Views
(Updated Jul 23, 2004 02:19 PM)
For all of you who have seen the new Devdas starring Shahrukh ''Mein hun naa'' Khan and those who haven't...Bimal Roy's 1955 classic Devdas starring Dilip Kumar should be an eye-opener..and I am just not talking about the performance of the lead protagonists in both the films..(though truth be told even Dilip Kumar found it hard to surpass his love-lorn,wimpish,forlorn and ultimately tragic role of devdas in his later films)..
Bimal Roy's Devdas is an understated,subtle,pensive study of unfulfilled love and its consequences..its dark in mood only lightened up a bit by Chunni babu played oh-so-stylishly and brilliantly by Motilal..he is so good that sometimes he even manages to steal Dilip kumar's scenes..Paro is played by the absolutely luminous beauty Suchitra Sen..its a great role performed splendidly by the very talented Suchitra sen..and Vyjyantimala as Chandramukhi is simply superb..she has none of the clap-trap scene which Madhuri had in the new Devdas but yet manages to hold her own..
However the film utterly and truly belongs to Dilip Kumar who plays Devdas with such unfathomable depth of understanding that you are truly astounded..Its a performance of a lifetime..watch his supreme talent as an actor when he acts outraged by paro's accusation that he can besmirch her reputation by spreading stories about their affair..or when he hits her on the forehead and immediately nurses her..or when chandramukhi tries to stop him from drinking by saying'' Aur mat peeyo devdas..itnee bardaasht na kar paoge'' and he retaliates saying ''kaun kambhakht hai jo bardasht karne ko peeta hai..mein toh peeta hun ki bas saans le sakun..''it could have been so easy for this role to become caricaturish but Dilip kumar makes his anguish, hurt and hopelessness so palpable that you cannot but feel deep sympathy for Devdas..
The high points of the film for me personally is the interaction of Devadas and Paro after his father's death..watch Devdas make fun of Paro's new status as a rich but old landlord's wife and when Devdas takes leave of Chandramukhi for the last time.
The music by S.D Burman complements and enahances the dark mood of the film..especially the ''kisko khabar thi kisko yakeen tha..aise bhi din aayenge..''song where devdas completely drunk and shattered cries at his plight..and the ''Mitwa Mitwa'' song where Devdas yearns for his childhood friend paro.
The dialogues are absolutely brilliant..no melodrama or mawkishness..but still stirs your heart with its poignancy. The camerawork is stunning..especially the outdoors have been shot really well..watch out for the beautiful use of light and shade in the film..and at last a word for Bimal Roy..perhaps the greatest director hindi movie industry has seen..his stamp over this film is all too evident..extracting wonderful performances from his actors, his sensitive treatment makes this a film to watch and treasure!!!
CHEERS!!!
