The Dev D Syndrome

SPOILER ALERT

I normally don't watch Hindi movies. Its just once in a while that a movie comes along which impresses me to watch it over and over again.

After getting my new connection I decided to download the hip-new age version of our very own (very old) DevDas in its modern, anglicized version and now being called DevD. I was sure that I would not be disappointed with this, after all this was a Abhay Deol movie, who is the contemporary Shahrukh Khan, Ambitabh Bachhan of the Weird newage Multiplex cinema.

Now i will try and not make this into a review of the movie. What I want to talk about is, why does the youth liked DevD and not Devdas.

Almost everyone knows of this story in India, some due to the original book Mr. Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Some due to the 1955 film by Mr. Bimal Roy, or if you are someone from the 80's 90's due to the Aishwarya and Madhuri tandem dance in the new Devdas of year 2002 by Mr. Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Depending upon your year of birth you would know the story. And if you dont. Below is a brief synopsis:

The story of the unlucky Bengali lad who falls for the girl next door, is not able to get her to marry her , so ends up drinking like a fish and killing himself. While meeting some more colorful characters like a courtesan (prostitute being a taboo word) and another drunkard like him.

If you are someone like me (not a Shahrukh, Aishwarya, Madhuri fan) I think you would also not like the new Devdas of 2002.

After all the dude looses the chick who has been in love with him since they wore diapers. He has no dearth of money, good education (London Baby!!) and everything else going for him. But still he manages to loose the chick , the love of his life.
Ok... I agree breakups are hard. Specially the long term relationships. I have been there as well.
I can also understand Mr Devdas's boozing. Comeon, if a guy wants to get wasted he should not have to have search for any excuses. A breakup is as good as one.
He goes poking into shady corners of the town. (Ahhemm...Ahhemm... To each his own). And finds ChickNo-2. So far so good. But in the end he ends up dying. And that too in the front steps of the Chick No -1.
Not done dude.

I know the book was written in a different age and was a rage then. The plight of the dude, the love for the chick. Blah Blah.

I think thats where Mr DevD hits a chord with us, where Mr Devdas failed to.
Mr DevD also boozes, does drugs, gets high, gets wasted, gets laid (for money). But in the end does not kill himself. Instead he gets his ChickNo -2 and is supposedly lives happily ever after.

Now thats a much better ending then the original story was.

He finds happiness for himself from what he has. He recovers, he does not curl up and die. He rides off into the sunset with his damsel.

Everyone wishes for happy endings to their life. And I for one was very happy for Mr DevD. Kudos....


THIS IS COSMIC BLASTING OFF…