Dev D - Movie Review

2009, till now, has been a bad year for me. So less films I have seen till now !! I used to be a Friday Freak, watching each movie on Friday. But see what happened? After CC2C I couldn't watch a single movie on Friday. I was desparate to see all movies follwed by, Raaz, Luck..and DEV.D. Somehow I couldn't made it to First day [Hummm....this is what I call 'Curse of CC2C....HA HA HA'] Even, my movies list has very tiny little figure. Only 5 movies I have seen in 1 month + 1 week !!!

Anyways, putting that apart, Lets come to Dev. DevD. Bollywood's latest installment [6th maybe] of Saratchandra's novel. Now I am not against of self destructing character of Devdas. I actually like him. Also I like the novel too. To me, Best Devdas was ofcourse the SRK one. And now, I think DevD will make its way to my fav too...obviously becuase It has got Abhay Deol in it, its got high merit. I like him in whatever he plays. He never disappoint in any role.

And Anurag Kashyap, the man with such a different thinking about movie making. Or can I say 'the dark man'?? I was drooled over on 'No Smoking'. And damn I have dvd of 'Black Friday' but still I have to see it. I feel that he just don't worry about the audience or the critics, and potrays whatever he feels. And thats' very good of him. That's how we can see something 'different' on screens wht bollywood has never seen.

Dev D starts with the typical storyline of the novel, kids Dev and Paro growing togather. And Dev is sent to London to study. When He returns, his Paro is waiting for him. OK, Stop . Similarity Khatam !!! . Now what we see is nowhere in the novel. Anurag just keeps the thin, very thin storyline of the original and goes full on with his own version. And creates a very enjoyable starting of the movie. Paro (Mahi Gill) looks so beautiful in starting sequence and also through out the movie. Sometime she reminds of Geet from Jab we met, but that happens when you are potraying a Punjabi girl's character.

Movie goes on alongwith great songs. Anurag throws all major songs, one by one in first half. Sometimes he doesn't let us breath and second song starts !! But I am not complaining. As I loved soundtrack since long time, it was musical extravagenza for me to listen all tracks in hall. To see Mahi, dancing on tunes of 'Dhol Yaraa Dhol'. Moving forward, 'Emotional Atyaachar' creates RIOT in cinema hall. Everybody was shouting over the song.

Then director seamlessly weave Delhi's famous MMS scandal and introduces Lenny [Kalki]. Who has her own story, her own world, later to get involved with Dev in his sorrows and again to get departed.

Movie suddenly gets trademark 'Kashyap' style of movie making. In first half, it was made lighter and some dash of sex, [maybe to please masses, but it was okay]. But what I liked about that is, Anurag has tried to justify desire of Woman. Which is largely ignored all over the world. If man can do whatever he wish, why can't woman?

Last half hour is quite intriguing, and will be liked only by serious movie lovers. I would not tell about that in detail, cause it will ruin fun. But its good and different.

We can see thin storyline of original novel, all over the movie. But its just thin. We can identify only a few scenes from earlier movies. And hey, this is not a Dark movie, as everyone tells. I loved sattire and fun of the movie.

Performance wise, Abhay has again performed well. Dev is aggressive, and Abhay just shows that. No where we can see that he is kind of playboy or something what each 'Hero' does. And that's good about his character. Rise and fall of him is damn well performed. Mahi Gill looks lovely (she is without makeup I assume) and wins accolades in first half hour of the movie with her act too. In second half, she does not have much to do, but whatever little she does then, is also great. Kalki besides being a non-Indian, she performs so well. Her Hindi accent is good. And in second half, she steals the show. The actor who plays modern Chunni Baabu is also good. [can I know his name?]The modern chunni babu, is little different then that of the novel, but still he is enjoyable.

Overall look of the movie follows state of mind of Dev. Colorful Punjab in opening, and then its getting darker and darker. And I loved it. Cinematography is apt. We have never seen THIS Delhi. The dark, full of druggist, drunkards and Hotels somewhere out there in the city. Screenplay is little bit down from the level of expectation. Dialogues are good. Mix up of fun, satire and reality is in there. Editing is also well carried out. I did not feel that movie is slowing down in last half hour, but it was getting in different mood.

Songs are delight in the movie. The movie is kinda Musical. Songs carrys this movie on their shoulder. Opening of the movie was 'Dhol Yaraa dhol'-most favorite of mine. Lovely dancing of Mahi Gill. And then one by one, each song came and I got lost in it. While 'Atyachar' was riot of fun, 'Aankh Micholi' was very well placed. 3 male dancers featured in 'Pardesi' and 'Saali Khushi' are excellent. Choreography was awesome of the three.

All in all, STRICTLY-watch it, if you are really serious about the movie. Don't expect cheap sleaze from it. Do not expect a love making scene [a la Emran Hashmi] in it. Do not expect Devdaaaas.............Paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaroooooo........kind of marathon scenes. Just expect the unexpected. Expect good acts, good music, good crispy production values... Enjoy !!

Audience Reactions :

While I was in hall, I could see that most of the audience is of my age. The 20 something guys and guys only. Only here there some 3 couples and a couple with their daugher [why on earth they come for 'A' certificate movies, with family?? they left the hall in interval !!] . The moment the movie started, people started shouting. Making comments [happens....young ones]. Most memorable to me was Emotional Atyachar. When people knew it is gonna come, they started shouting [along with me, of course]. Starting clapping and 'Singing' along. I was so excited. That was great fun. I wished someone could have stand up and dance in front of screen, I would surely have joined him :-). As the movie progressed, people started yelling cause not smooch was there, as they has expected. And till last scene they were just making comments, that's it. I could see that most of them didn't find it that good. But everyone has had good time watching it.

My Rating : 4 / 5