Devdas in Time Magazine’s The 10 Greatest Movies of the Millennium (Thus Far)

A year after Moulin Rouge! had its world premiere at Cannes, another visually intoxicating musical opened at the festival, introducing sang-and-danced Bollywood dramas to the international culturati. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 1901 novel inspired at least a half-dozen film versions before this one — in its time, the priciest movie in Indian history (at about $10.6 million). The plot, based on a 1917 novel, is good-ol’ family-values propaganda, drenched in luscious masochism: rich-boy Devdas (all-world charismatist Shahrukh Khan) leaves home, abandons his girlfriend (former Miss World Aishwarya Rai) and suffers magnificently while dallying with a prostitute (Madhuri Dixit, a hot number who had danced flamenco on men’s libidos for a decade or so before appearing in this worldly-wise role). The piece is played with such commitment that the tritest plot twists seem worth believing — and dancing to, in nine nifty production numbers. But the fervid emotion is what makes the thing sing. Beyond that, Devdas is a visual ravishment, with sumptuous sets, fabulous frocks and beautiful people to fill them; it has a grandeur the old Hollywood moguls would have loved.

Link

Tags:
3 Comments
  1. Baba Ji 12 years ago

    bad film with hammy performances.the sets looked soaked in wine all around.

    • Author
      sputnik 12 years ago

      I had commented this on NG once.

      “For what it’s worth Devdas was nominated for a BAFTA (which are known as British Oscars) for Best Foreign Language film. It was selected as the best movie of 2002 by Time Magazine critic Richard Corliss. I am not saying I agree with the reviews or anything but if Moulin Rouge can get nominated and Chicago can win Oscar so can Devdas.”

      So I am glad that Devdas is ahead of Moulin Rouge in that list.

      It was also in Empire Magazine’s “The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema”.

      https://www.empireonline.com/features/100-greatest-world-cinema-films/default.asp?film=74

  2. John Galt 12 years ago

    Extremely boring and a big mood killer movie. I didn’t like Bhansali’s Saawariya and guzaarish either. both were very very boring.

Leave a reply

Log in with your credentials

Forgot your details?