Devdas turns 100.....

Yes, the most remembered and the most liked character from the  

screens of our sub-continent, 'Devdas has turned 100'. Bengal's most respected novelist Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay created this character exactly 100 years ago (1917) in his ever-green novel 'Devdas'. Since then 'Devdas' has become the most filmed (16 times so far) non-epic story in India, Pak and Bangladesh.  Every time this story is made in to a film, it has charmed the audience and has become a super-hit! What may be the reason? 

Does everybody in this world see 'a bit of Devdas' in him and therefore likes to see his reflections again and again on the screen? Does Devdas touch the hidden sentiments of the most at least once? Let us examine........

Devdas (published 1917) is a Bengali romantic novel penned by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay (1876-1938). His other well known novels include Parineeta, Majhli Didi, Swamy, Choti Bahu, Apne Paraye, and Khushuboo which have all become well known Hindi films. 

Devdas - front cover with its author

Devdas (Dev) is a young man from a wealthy rural Bengali family in the early part of 20th century. Parvathi (Paro), the little girl from same village is his childhood friend. This childhood friendship slowly blossoms in to a romantic relationship as the two grow up. Sumithra, Paro's mother proposes to marry Paro and Dev.  Dev's parents turn down the offer as Paro's parents are poorer. Paro musters courage and approaches Dev asking him to take her away.  At this stage Dev fails to rise to the occasion and backs out fearing his father's wrath. He irresponsibly runs away to distant Kolkata without telling Paro and later in an act of self-deceit writes to Paro saying they were only just friends and nothing more.  Paro's parents take all these developments as an insult and vow to marry Paro to a richer family. Eventually Paro's marriage is settled with a much richer Zamindar.

 Just before her marriage, fickle minded Dev comes to Paro and offers to take her away.  Paro, now asserts and chides Dev for his cowardice and vacillation.  But emotions continue to carry between them.

Disappointed Dev meets his old friend Chunnilal who takes her to Chandramukhi, the dancing sex worker.  Dev starts drinking heavily.  Chandramukhi falls in love with Dev and starts dedicating herself to him.  Dev, obsessed with Paro's memory,  once again errs by refusing to respond to  Chandramukhi's love and conducts himself very rudely with her. 

By the time Dev realizes the virtue and the intensity of Chandramukhi's love, it is too late.  Due to heavy drinking and despair Dev's health deteriorates beyond cure.

Dev, who is now only counting his days runs to meet Paro.  But Paro is prevented by her husband's family members from meeting Dev .  Dev breathes his last in front of Paro's doors!

Of course, Dev's acts of dilemma should also be viewed in light of the social customs and practices prevailing at his time. But Dev had chance to come back to life by owning up the genuine love of Chandramukhi.  Also he should have pursued his family profession of  Zamindari with responsibility.  But he spurned both these options and chose to rely on heavy drinking leading to self-destruction. Thus he is an example before modern youth of how not to conduct oneself!

Full credits to the great novelist  Sarat Chandraji for creating such a character which is so near to life.  During last hundred years, generations of audience have felt and wept for Devdas, resulting in outstanding blockbuster dramas and movies!

Great actors like K.L.Saigal, ANR, Dilip Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan have felt honored on being offered to play the role of Devdas.

Probably the role of Devdas was made for the veteran actor Dilip Kumar.  He has added a new dimension to the role under Bimal Roy, the great director.  Sharukh Khan had the privilege of watching and even copying Dilip Kumar when he donned the role during 2002.

Among all attempts to showcase the great novel, which is the best? Comparisons are bound to be made.  K.L.Saigal and Dilip Kumar's Devdas are said to be very close to the original novel.  Arguably the credit of best version of Devdas goes to Sanjay Leela Bhansali (SLB), the director for his epic effort during 2002.

'Extravaganza, thy name is SLB' is a gross understatement. And the best example for this among his gems is Devdas (2002).  Probably Sha Rukh, Aishwarya and Madhuri have played the roles of their lives in this film.  But what is noteworthy is SLB's deft twists and turns given to the original story itself.

Probably the most touching scene of Devdas (2002) is when Paro meets Chandramukhi seeking Devdas.  This is simply SLB special which is not there in the original novel. 

Paro (Aishwarya) looks to Chandramukhi (Madhuri) with  doubts and alleges she is hiding Devdas.  Emotional Chandramukhi asks Paro to go and see inside her dance court, but Paro fails to find Devdas.  Chandramukhi virtually opens Paro's eyes when she says....'if you look through your eyes, Dev is not there.  If I look through my eyes, Dev is very much there!  I can find him in those half-filled glasses, cigar-butts and scattered pillows!'  Relieved Paro now feels that Dev is safe in Chandramukhi's hands.  Paro further collects 'Tawaif ke ghar ki mitti' (mud from a sex worker's home) from Chandramukhi for making Durga idol.  This is another commendable addition from SLB, which is an honor extended to 'tawaifs' only on the occasion of Durga Pooja in Bengal.

Also in SLB's Devdas, the duo between Sumithra (played by Kiran Kher), Paro's mother and Kaushalya (played by Smita Jaykar), Dev's mother  is a newly added feature. In the original novel, both these characters are quite weak ones.

Both the artists, Smita (left) and Kiran have poured their hearts out in playing their roles to perfection.

SLB's Devdas is well supported by haunting music composed by Ismail Darbar. The film also served as the perfect launch pad for the 

budding singer Shreya Ghoshal, who is now probably the youngest of all living legends.  Each song in the film is heart-touching and a super-hit.  Compared to this although for Dilip Kumar's Devdas (1955) the music is scored by S.D.Burman the great, songs are just okay, but none of the songs are remembered today.

Lastly, characters like Devdas, although just fictional, will always remain close to our hearts.  Even with changing times such characters remain relevant.  Times may change, people may change, but human emotions and its vagaries remain the same. That's why critics say that characters like Devdas are for ever!

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