Dev D: Must watch

Abhay Deol as Dev from a movie still

Before I say anything about the movie, I just want to mention that here is finally music that made me brought out my ipod from behind the cob-webs and listen to each and every beat & instrument distinctly. Each song is a treat to hear. The ones that stood out for me were 'emotional atyachaar' and 'saali khushi'.

Now about the movie. A recap first. When Bhansali made devdas, I heard so much about the sets and costumes, that I decided to watch it in theater. I sat in anticipation as did a few Americans in the front rows. Now only the real fans or poor buy tickets for the front row. Here in US, of course the price is the same, no matter which row you sit in. So, the passion that these hippies had was worth commending. Anyways, these guys walked out after about 15 minutes followed by me (mentally) in the next 15. What a waster of money and time, I thought.

When Manisha told me DevD was the modern devdas, my previous experience weighed heavily on my mind, and I was somehow put off. But this movie is truly a treat. The over dramatization that sank Bhansali's movie is totally removed from this one, and each scene and dialogue carries the movie very well. When paro gets married to another man, Dev D spends a lot of time just loitering around on the dark roads of Delhi, and in a time when you would think that the movie would become boring, you couldnt be more wrong. The shots taken of Delhi's night life are probably the best parts of the movie. The music in the background, at the same time, elevates the whole movie to a totally different level and is in complete harmony.

I became a fan of Abhay Deol when I watched Oye lucky. With this movie, I am completely sold. Another man on my list is Anurag Kashyap. Thanks Anurag for this beautiful movie that brought my passion back into music and movies at a time when all the movies seemed so superficial and formulaic (including Slumdog).