Dev.D, Anurag Kashyap's contemporary take on Sarat Chandra Chatterjee's classic novel Devdas is simply extraordinary. Kashyap's direction is excellent and his interpretation of the original story is a perfect example of how creative and artistic an adaptation of this sort can be. The film is set partly in Punjab and partly in Delhi and captures the atmosphere of both places with precision. Kashyap masterfully portrays the effervescence, colourfulness and rusticity of the rural Punjab areas from one side, and then explores the morbid and dark reality of the urban Delhi. The film is very realistic and aspects which contribute to this include the simple writing, the slick editing and cinematography and the natural acting. It deals with such themes as sexuality, love, drugs, prostitution, self-destruction, and complex relationships. The film's fast-paced narrative style, which includes authentic dialogues, serious proceedings and many many songs (all of which are lovely, modern, and appropriately selected), is very unique and matter-of-fact. Abhay Deol stars as a modern-day Devdas, and he does an excellent job. He shows Dev's confusion, complacence, gradual ruin, and later his self-acceptance and coming to terms, with conviction and depth. Kashyap introduces two young girls in the leading roles. Mahie Gill is the first, and she is first-rate in her debut performance as Paro - very believable and impulsive. Kalki Koechlin is less impressive at first, but grows on you as the story goes by. At some points in the initial portions it looks like she's struggling with her lines, but in the second half, she confidently turns into a charming young lady and ultimately leaves a mark. The film's ending is fantastic and unexpected. To sum it up, Dev.D is Kashyap's gem. It is a prime quintessence of Hindi cinema's capability and coming-of-age. I recommend you to watch it.
Review of Dev.D
