New age 'Devdas' with a quirky twist

Dev D
Cast: Abhay Deol, Mahi Gill, Kalki Koechlin
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Rating: ***

The premise of Dev D is well known and oft told. It’s been made three times before just as a film, but the success of Anurag Kashyap's latest venture is the changes made within the parameters of Sarat Chandra Chatterjee's classic tale.

The premise remains that two childhood friends grow up to discover love (and lust) for each other but circumstances, mostly self-perpetuated and born out of machismo, force them to be separated. Paro (Mahi Gill) gets married while Dev (Abhay Deol) pines to destruction, despite finding the support and affection of an escort, Chanda (Kalki Koechlin).

Full marks to Abhay Deol's concept of modernising the character, setting and degeneration associated with Devdas and to writers Vikramaditya Motwane and Kashyap for going way beyond Chatterjee's stifling world, turning the film into a multiple-layered trippy tale that ends optimistically.

So, is this film a cinematic achievement of sorts, or is it another failed attempt at resurrecting an older success story? The answer is a bit of both. Dev D contemporises the concept well, moving the setting out of the artistic aristocracy of Bengal into the rich fields of macho Punjab. An elaborate haveli is replaced by acres of fields. Characters are more youthful, modern and promiscuous, hopping in and out of bed with each other as quickly as they roll a joint.

Dev is still spineless but also self-destructive, not driven to it. His story is not simply one of his degradation into an alcoholic waster, but that of his journey from a spoilt, rich, give-a-damn, pot smoking, alcoholic chauvinist with double standards to a man who reaches the depths of despair before dusting himself off and giving life another chance.

Kashyap's open admiration of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting with hints of Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is translated into psychedelic representations of drugs and hallucinations. The cinematography by Rajeev Ravi is top class, including the stylishly shot underbelly of Delhi. The editing (Aarti Bajaj), though clever in parts, is inconsistent.

Unarguably the music (Amit Trivedi) is one of the highlights, though used in excess, sometimes distracting from the narrative. As a series of music videos they are superb (especially Emosanal atyachar, Nayan tarse, Duniya and Yehi meri zindagi), but do not blend seamlessly.

Mahi Gill as Paro is well cast, looks the part and is provided a character that stomps right back on the gutless Dev. Koechlin's is believable in appearance as the schoolgirl with an edge of innocence but her dialogue delivery and grotesque get-ups as Chanda hardly endear. Chunni's character, ably played by Dibyendu Bhattacharya, has an interesting twist.

The film hinges on Deol's performance. Though his performance is a little too restrained to completely convince of his heartbreak, destruction or dénouement, he scores when he opts to just be the spineless, despicable Dev.

Kashyap's visual vocabulary and style stand out from the current crop of filmmakers but in Dev D he uses far too many headlines from MMS scandals to the BMW hit-and-run case, which slackens the pace in the latter half. The film lets you down most by its lack of emotional connect with any of the principle characters. It is an emosanal atyachar.

There's no sympathy for Dev, empathy with Paro or compassion for Leni/ Chanda. Bereft of this, you are left without a strong reaction, not even one of reaching for a glass of vodka-Thums Up.