Devdas (2002)

That was an excellent one.

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Not enough words can explain how well this movie was thought out and executed, from the amazing actors to the beautiful clothing and timeless music. Devdas tells an ageless story about love, sorrow and remorse, that forces the audience to experience an emotional roller-coaster. There is so much feeling and passion expressed by the characters, that it ultimately makes it difficult to love or hate any one of them; whether it is Devdas (Shahrukh Khan) who is drowning his sorrows, Chandramukhi (Madhuri Dixit) who yearns for her unrequited love, or Paro (Aishwarya Rai), who is bound by her unfortunate circumstances. The movie takes you on a journey, one in which you feel as if you are personally feeling the emotions of the characters, experiencing the same circumstances, which ultimately allows you to immerse yourself into the heartfelt story of Devdas. It was personally, a very emotional story,no matter how many times I have watched it, it always makes me cry. Sanjay Leela Bansali does not miss a beat in this beautiful story, and will leave you thinking... what if things were different?. I absolutely loved it!!! You will not be disappointed :) (I would say more, but I really am speechless! Once you see it, you will understand)

Devdas (Shah Rukh Khan) has been abroad getting educated for ten years. Now, he's finally returning and his beloved Parvati (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) awaits him and hopes they'll marry. However, although the two are in love, his mother and sister-in-law decide rather coldly that he should marry someone even richer than Parvati. Now Parvati is NOT poor--just not quite as fantastically rich as Devdas' family. So, when her family rejects this union, Devdas stomps off BUT he does NOT take Parvati with him. She is naturally hurt but reluctantly agrees to marry a super-wealthy guy (who, sadly, is a total jerk). Devdas finally decides to defy his family and comes for her--but it's too late. For the rest of the film, Devdas whines and whines and whines--and drinks LOTS of wine. During this time, oddly, a courtesan, Chandramukhi, Madhuri Dixit loves Devdas and cares for him but he refuses to marry her or accept her into his heart. Ultimately, Devdas drinks himself to death and the film ends...after almost three hours of Devdas' whining and mooning about and drinking.I am probably NOT the best person to be reviewing "Devdas". While I have probably seen more international films than anyone NOT currently undergoing psychiatric care, I have only seen a few dozen Indian films and am by no means an expert. And, certain clichés might be adored by fans of the Indian cinema, but as a bit of an outsider, I see them a bit differently. Now I am NOT saying I dislike Indian movies or their unusual style. I have adored and praised films such as "Three Idiots", "Kandukondain Kandukondain" and "Aparahito" in my reviews, I just did not enjoy "Devdas" and I'll try to explain why.As I sat and watched "Devdas", I thought of an appropriate metaphor for this film. It was like giving me a gigantic bowl of whipped cream to eat. Now I like whipped cream--but after eating gallons and gallons of it, I want some substance. "Devdas" is full of sumptuous sets, gorgeous actors (particular Aishwarya Rai Bachchan---who, apart from my wife, is probably the most beautiful woman on the planet). It has lovely camera-work and singing. However, the story itself seemed like a collection of children's "Disney Princess" fairy tales that most guys cannot relate to. Now it is NOT because I am not a romantic--I love a good romance. But, I also want one with depth. And, sadly, "Devdas" is sadly lacking depth and too often I just wanted to slap the title character and tell him to 'stop whining and man up!'. After all, although he lost his childhood sweetheart, he was incredibly rich and well-educated--unlike 95% of his countrymen. I am sure a lot of folks in Mumbai would have a hard time feeling all that sorry for this guy! I just thought the story looked great and gave me characters I really didn't care for or like.

Neither the novel was a work of art, nor any film based on it. Devdas is shockingly among the most boring, unidimensional characters Indian literature could have possibly produced! Even Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay had admitted that the novel was a mistake he committed during his 20s; an age when almost all of the youth is into self pitying and self destruction. Shah Rukh khan as Devdas overacts and makes you laugh at times when he cries out loud, and sounds like a hungry goat! With some mediocre acting and an overdose of glitz, this melodramatic crap isn't worth watching for any reason, except for some soothing music.Rating: SUPER DUD!PS: On contrary, Anurag Kashyap's DEV-D is a brilliant attempt, which gives you a positive outlook of the immensely negative character.

SLB is a god gifted director to bollywood and i am again spellbound by his work. He is the only director who can remake a super hit 1960s movie in 2002 with the same essence. This movie was marvelously made with a powerful star cast with mesmerizing scenes, dialogues and music at the same time.Aishwarya rai has done her best and Madhuri was the same refreshing as 8 years ago. Shahrukh khan to put his best and this makes this movies unforgettable.I consider this movie as one of the best movies made in India. I recommend this movie to everyone because even after the end, this movie won't get out of your mind.