As I delve deeper into my
acquaintance with Bollywood films, I find it increasingly apparent that few of
them are entirely embraceable because their disparate nature forces you to take
elements that you don't like with whatever it is that thrills you. Certainly,
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas has some components that irked me, but
overall it’s an eminently watchable feature, and it’s certainly better than
the Bollywood Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon that is Lagaan, if
for no other reason than because it lacks an hour and a half cricket match.
Telling a timeworn story that has been the subject of several previous Bollywood
epics, Devdas opens when the titular character (Shahrukh Khan), whose
name apparently means “Tempest”, returns home to India after an absence of
ten years. We find that Paro (Aishwarya Rai), his childhood girlfriend still
pines for him, and has kept a lamp lit in his honor for the previous decade. The
exciting and buoyant first musical sequence, prompted by the prospect of his
arrival, shows Paro and her attendants as they dance in joy at news of his
return, while maintaining the lantern’s flame. Before long, however, their
bliss is interrupted as the pressures of the caste system and familial bonds
weigh down upon their happiness.
Devdas
develops into a full-bodied tragedy, as its lovers’ passions remain
unrequited. Most of the audience would be entirely familiar with this story,
though, I imagine, so the excitement naturally comes from the plot (eventually,
when it interrupts a song and dance so that its protagonist can have a cirrhotic
hemorrhage, it turns into something resembling a Bollywood Leaving Las Vegas),
but from the stylish execution. This is one of the largest Hindi productions
ever mounted, and the budgetary excess is all shown on screen. The set design in
particular is stunning. Color abounds everywhere here, from the rainbow saris
and costumes, to the stained glass windows that decorate the elaborate mansions,
to the flowers and incense used in the dances. Even in Devdas’ most
scattershot moments, Bhansali gives us something stunning to look at. It might
not be a better film than his Khamoshi, but it’s certainly a more
attractive one. Several of the performances here are solid, especially from the
female cast members. Madhuri Dixit, as Chandramuki the prostitute with the heart
of gold, is the clearest standout, and when she and Paro finally have a dance
number together, it provides what’s clearly the best sequence of the film.
Khan is fine, if a bit generic, as Devdas. His romantic scenes feel somewhat
obligatory, and the only moments in which his character comes alive are when he
argues with his father, a lawyer, and uses legal terms like “I object!” When
a movie throws as much at you as Devdas does, however, it’s difficult to
object to minor disappointments.
