Great tribute to both Sarat Chandra and Bimal Roy. Review on Devdas - New

Very rarely has any movie from the stables of the Bombay film industry evoked so much curiosity before its release and intense debate after it reached the theatres.

The curiosity factor for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Devdas, can be attributed to the fact that it was based on Sarat Chandra’s novel of the same name and that there were many versions of the same previously, the most notable being the Bimal Roy directed, Dilip Kumar-Suchitra Sen-Vyjantimala Bali starrer. People wanted to know how Bhansali, the director of acclaimed films like Khamoshi and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam treat the novel this time round.

And the reactions were extreme. There was a section which felt that Bhansali had committed sacrilege by mounting the movie so opulently – a major departure from the way Bimal Roy treated his subject. And there were others who, on the other hand, were left spellbound, as Bhansali with the aid of stunning visuals and opulent sets transported his audience into a surreal world.

I feel that Bhansali should be lauded for reinterpreting the novel as per his vision. Nowhere has he mentioned that his Devdas is going to be a realistic reproduction of the novel. I am of the opinion that Bhansali has made a film that stands closer to a Broadway musical than Bollywood masala. Three cheers and five stars to Sanjay Leela Bhansali.