INSTEP Magzine

Anurag Kashyap (Black Friday, No Smoking fame) is not the first filmmaker to make a movie on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's famous novel Devdas. But he is certainly the only one who has literally turned the book on its head.

The basic storyline is driven from original Devdas but the characters are shaped quite differently. Imagine Devdas in the new age with emails, cell phones and girls who choose to live their lives on their own terms.
The protagonist is Dev (Abhay Deol), an egoistical, self-destructive and self-loathing man whose idea of life is as bizarre and harrowing as the lyrics of Kurt Cobain and Thom Yorke.

Dev may not be writing love letters to Paro (Mahi Gill) but they are in touch via email. The return of Dev to Chandigarh after years in London is unlike anything one has seen in Hindi films. The object of his desire is Paro (Mahi Gill). But unlike most onscreen couples who tip toe around each other and may indulge in poetic love songs atop lush hills or mammoth hawelis, theirs is a far more twisted and intimate relationship.

Physical desire plays a huge role in this film and in the life of Dev and Paro who openly discuss sex and indulge in it despite societal constraints. Their clandestine trysts in the fields are humourous.

Paro and Dev are not legendary lovers, the kind one has seen in the previous Devdas films. They are more realistic and roll with the times. The fact that Paro is a strong character, one who will not walk away from adventurism makes Dev D even more interesting. But of course, the split between Paro and Dev is inevitable. The reason is again Kashyap's take on the situation and will surely surprise you.

Fast forward to Chanda (Kalki Koechlin), the new age prostitute who doesn't dance around in super gaudy clothes while men shower her with money. She dresses up as characters from American porn. Don't think Madhuri Dixit… think schoolgirl with a blonde wig instead. It sounds vulgar but it's actually one of the funniest bits in the film. And so the triangle between Paro-Dev-Chanda continues.

There is a lot of shock value to this film. Some of the scenes are explicit. But Dev D has a very clear message to it. Devdas maybe at the heart of the story but it is a reflection on a new generation that is disconnected from the real world and is struggling between tradition and modernity. Abhay Deol's Dev is a case in point. Anurag Kashyap doesn't sugarcoat and keeps him real. As Dev spirals down with alcohol and drugs, it comes across as believable. And that makes the film all the more interesting. It is fascinating purely because it is filmi yet not completely over-the-top.

Abhay Deol is hugely responsible for making this film stand out. He is brilliant as Dev D and pulls off the disconnected rebel effortlessly. Abhay Deol is improving with every film. After films like Manorama Six Feet Under and Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, the young Deol has delivered a solid performance once again.

Complimenting him in this film is Kalki Koechlin, who plays Chanda. In just her debut film, Kalki does an astounding job. Complex, broken and wicked, Kalki makes Chanda quite memorable. In comparison, Mahi Gill as Paro is adequate. She just doesn't have enough screen presence to keep one glued and is quickly overshadowed by the more complex nature of Kalki Koechlin's Chanda.

The film, however, is not without flaws. There are 18 songs in the film. Music director Amir Travedi has given this film a very unconventional soundtrack. And most tunes are excellent, but there are far too many of them. As a consequence, they leave you exhausted and drained. The editing could've been tighter.

That said, Dev D is a bold film, one that traditional Bollywood buffs will not be able to digest.But Bollywood is changing. And Anurag Kashyap's Dev D is riding on that wave. For an exceptional effort in blending the ethos of East-West and bringing out a fresh (if slightly warped perspective) on love and loss, Dev D should be seen.

– Maheen Sabeeh
*YUCK
**WHATEVER
***GOOD
****SUPER
*****AWESOME