I wrote this article in early of 2003..some months after the release of Modern DEVDAS…and this was published in IMAGES of DAWN-Pakistan.
Devdas v/s Devdas
*Raju Jamil *
There is something about Bengali master S. Chattopadhyay’s timeless classic about a defeated lover that continues to appeal to filmmakers and actors alike.
After a few attempts, which I understand through browse of webs, that failed to take off, a third version of ‘Devdas’ has now been released.
It has already been remade in other languages. New Theatres made it in Bengali,
in Tamil in 1936, twice in Telugu in 1953 and 1974.
Today, the idea of hero drinking himself to death on loosing the woman he loves is ridiculous. Today’s hero is more the “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jainge” or “Ye Dil Aap Ka Huwa” type. But there is something so endearing, vulnerable and noble about ‘Devdas’ that …Chandramukhi, the golden-hearted courtesan in the story, audiences reach out to him. ( I did ).
Even after letting him down, the love of his life, Paro still hides an unbearable love for him in her heart, while outwardly playing a dutiful wife to another man.
The BEST known version of ‘Devdas’ is the Bimal Roy one, starring Dilip Kumar, Suchitra Sen, Vyjanthimala and Motilal ( as a romantic Devdas’ practical buddy! ).
But there is this older version of P.C.Burua New Theatres’ classic, starring K.L.Saigal ( Burua himself played the role in Bengali version ), Jumuna, Rajkumari, Pahadi Sanyal, which had dialogues and lyrics by Kidar Sharma and cinematography by Bimal Roy – both went on to become great directors in their country…in their own right.
Devdas (Saigal / Shahrukh) is in love with Parbati (Paro----played by Jamuna / Aishwarya) his childhood friend and daughter of the poor neighbouring family. Devdas goes away to Calcutta for higher studies, and Paro’s marraige is fixed with an old man with grown up children.
Though she loves Devdas, their difference in status makes marraige to him well impossible. While Devdas dithers, she has to obey her father, marry the man chosen for her and suffer the fate of a docile Hindu wife. Devdas, distraught on loosing her and also because he couldn’t do anything to prevent it, takes to drink. Chandramukhi (Rajkumari / Madhuri), a nautch girl he has befriended in Calcutta,
falls in love with him and gives up her profession to try and save him.
Paro, hearing of his decline comes to see him to persuade him not to throw his life away as an alcholic. Devdas sends her back saying that in the hour of final need, he will come to her. When his end is near, Devdas travels to Paro’s village and dies outside the walls of her house.
Even though the sacrificing prostitute is such a film cliche, the novel and hence the film gives great respect to the character of Chandramukhi, who gives up everything for a man who doesn’t deserve such selfless love. There are no wicked people in the story, only victims of cruel destiny.
K.L.Saigal’s songs in the older film were great hits --------- “Balam aaye baso mere man mein” and “Dukh ke din ab beete nahin”. The film’s non-theatrical treatment is praiseworthy.
In the new version of ‘Devdas’ with Shahrukh, Aishwarya and Madhuri, the Director has risen above the soppiness of the novel and used it’s characters to create the film with a very strong screenplay, sets, performances and music. For it’s time----the new ‘DEVDAS’ is…(politically) different !. Since the hero does not accept his fate but fights it in whatever way he can – if it means drowning himself in booze, so be it.
The tragedy of ‘Devdas’ is not his alcholism but a caste and class-ridden society that snatches away the individual happiness. From the m(y)odern point of view, ‘Devdas’ is not a hero, but a wimp, but for his times, he was a rebel of sorts.
The Bimal Roy one…in my view, was FAR better than the latest version !
-end