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dangermousieI have a movie to recommend for my flisters. It was India's official entry into the foreign category for 2002's Oscars, it is the most expensive Indian movie ever made, and it's an 11th (!) adaptation of a classic novel. Visually, it's one of the most amazing and sumptuous things I've ever seen.
Just look at this. Aren't you interested?
The name? Devdas. I am sure most of the Bollyholics on my flist have seen it, but for the rest who haven't are and interested, a brief blurb with reasons follows.
The director is Sunjay Leela Bhansali, one of the most visually distinctive directors I've seen (you are never going to mistake his movies for anyone else's) and the whole movie has the intensity and beauty and feverishness of a dream. This one was meant to be seen in a movie theater, but at the worst, using a big TV and turning off all the lights will do (it also has an added benefit of no one seeing you cry).
The plot is rather simple. It involves a doomed romance between childhood sweathearts, Devdas and Paro. They love each other madly (though rather dysfunctionally), but his family views hers as rather low in status. Devdas loses Paro through his indecisiveness and she marries another, but he can't forget her. He descends into alcoholism and despair, spiralling into self-destruction. It's a tragedy so if you want fluffy happiness, this is probably not a good choice. But oh what sumptuous, drop-dead-gorgeous and passionate tragedy it is. Everything glitters, and sparkles and shimmers and is full of colors. I just want to look at the props from the movie for hours because they are a work of art. Aishwarya Rai as Paro and Madhuri Dixit as Chandramukhi (a courtesan who falls in love with Devdas) are beautiful like princesses in a fairy tale, and Shahrukh Khan, who plays Devdas, gives one of his best performances (and isn't hard on the eyes himself).
Some samples of how beautiful it is:
My favorite still from the movie. It just gets me for some reason:
Devdas hasn't learned "if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you are with." He and Chandramukhi in their dysfunctional glory:
Not that he and Paro were that functional:
Guuuuh, just look at the bed:
The beautiful Paro. No wonder Devdas went mad:
Devdas drinking himself into a sodden mess. But I want that bottle...so pretty:
Chandramukhi:
Fellow rich lushie Chuninlal:
Just look at this. Aren't you interested?
The name? Devdas. I am sure most of the Bollyholics on my flist have seen it, but for the rest who haven't are and interested, a brief blurb with reasons follows.
The director is Sunjay Leela Bhansali, one of the most visually distinctive directors I've seen (you are never going to mistake his movies for anyone else's) and the whole movie has the intensity and beauty and feverishness of a dream. This one was meant to be seen in a movie theater, but at the worst, using a big TV and turning off all the lights will do (it also has an added benefit of no one seeing you cry).
The plot is rather simple. It involves a doomed romance between childhood sweathearts, Devdas and Paro. They love each other madly (though rather dysfunctionally), but his family views hers as rather low in status. Devdas loses Paro through his indecisiveness and she marries another, but he can't forget her. He descends into alcoholism and despair, spiralling into self-destruction. It's a tragedy so if you want fluffy happiness, this is probably not a good choice. But oh what sumptuous, drop-dead-gorgeous and passionate tragedy it is. Everything glitters, and sparkles and shimmers and is full of colors. I just want to look at the props from the movie for hours because they are a work of art. Aishwarya Rai as Paro and Madhuri Dixit as Chandramukhi (a courtesan who falls in love with Devdas) are beautiful like princesses in a fairy tale, and Shahrukh Khan, who plays Devdas, gives one of his best performances (and isn't hard on the eyes himself).
Some samples of how beautiful it is:
My favorite still from the movie. It just gets me for some reason:
Devdas hasn't learned "if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you are with." He and Chandramukhi in their dysfunctional glory:
Not that he and Paro were that functional:
Guuuuh, just look at the bed:
The beautiful Paro. No wonder Devdas went mad:
Devdas drinking himself into a sodden mess. But I want that bottle...so pretty:
Chandramukhi:
Fellow rich lushie Chuninlal:
