Devdas (1955 film)
{{short description|1955 Hindi film directed by Bimal Roy}}
{{other uses|Devdas (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Devdas
| image = File:Devdas 1955 film poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Bimal Roy
| producer = Bimal Roy
| writer = Screenplay: Nabendu Ghosh
Dialogue: Rajinder Singh Bedi
| screenplay =
| story =
| based_on = {{based on|Devdas|Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay}}
| narrator = Bimal Roy
| starring = Dilip Kumar
Vyjayanthimala
Suchitra Sen
Motilal
| music = S. D. Burman
| cinematography = Kamal Bose
| editing =
| distributor = Bimal Roy Production
Mohan Films
| studio = Bimal Roy Productions
| released = {{Film date|1955|12|30|df=yes}}
| runtime = 155 minutes
| country = India
| language = Hindi
| budget = {{INR}}5 million{{cite news |url=http://filmfaremagazine.indiatimes.com/articleshow.cms?msid=41766124 |title=Best Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali – Devdas |date=April 2003 |work=Filmfare |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040828121334/http://filmfaremagazine.indiatimes.com/articleshow.cms?msid=41766124 |archive-date=28 August 2004 |access-date=18 May 2021 |url-status=dead }}
| gross = {{INR}}10 million
}}
Devdas is a 1955 Indian Hindi-language period drama film directed by Bimal Roy, based on the Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay novel Devdas.{{cite web|title=Devdas over the years …|url=http://youthtimes.in/devdas-over-the-years/|work=YouthTimes.in|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609093617/http://youthtimes.in/devdas-over-the-years|archive-date=9 June 2013|df=dmy-all}} It starred Dilip Kumar in the title role, Vyjayanthimala in her first dramatic role as a tawaif named Chandramukhi and Suchitra Sen in her Bollywood debut as Parvati "Paro". Motilal, Nazir Hussain, Murad, Pratima Devi, Iftekhar, Shivraj co-starred, along with Pran, Johnny Walker in extended cameo appearances.
In 2005, Indiatimes Movies ranked the movie amongst the Top 25 Must See Bollywood Films.{{cite news |last=Kanwar |first=Rachna |title=25 Must See Bollywood Movies |date=3 October 2005 |url=http://movies.indiatimes.com/Special_Features/25_Must_See_Bollywood_Movies/articleshow/msid-1250837,curpg-23.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015034935/http://movies.indiatimes.com/Special_Features/25_Must_See_Bollywood_Movies/articleshow/msid-1250837,curpg-23.cms |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 October 2007 |publisher=Indiatimes movies |access-date=8 November 2010 |df=dmy-all }} Devdas was also ranked at #2 on the University of Iowa's List of Top 10 Bollywood Films.{{cite news |author=Corey K. Creekmur |title=Top 10 Bollywood Film |url=http://www.uiowa.edu/~incinema/Top%20Ten.htm |publisher=University of Iowa |access-date=2012-01-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111129112900/http://www.uiowa.edu/~incinema/Top%20Ten.htm |archive-date=29 November 2011 |df=dmy-all }} The film was also noted for its cinematography and lighting by Kamal Bose.{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.co.in/entertai/2002/dec/09dinesh.htm|title=The perceptive camera of Bimal Roy|date=9 December 2002|publisher=rediff.com, Movies|author=Dinesh Raheja|access-date=28 Apr 2013|author-link=Dinesh Raheja}} Forbes included Kumar's performance in the film on its list, "25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema".{{cite web|url=http://forbesindia.com/article/100-years-of-indian-cinema/25-greatest-acting-performances-of-indian-cinema/35125/0|title=25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema|magazine=Forbes|first1=Shishir|last1=Prasad|first2=N. S.|last2=Ramnath|first3=Sohini|last3=Mitter|date=27 April 2013 |accessdate = 23 June 2021}} Although Devdas was a moderate success at the box-office when initially released, partly due to its heavy themes, and the release of several Kumar's films around the same time including Azaad (1955), Uran Khatola (1955), and Insaniyat (1955), it found greater success in re-releases in subsequent years.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}} The subsequent popularity of the film made the role one of Kumar's most famous.{{Cite web|title=10 Iconic films that made actor Dilip Kumar a Bollywood legend|url=https://gulfnews.com/amp/photos/entertainment/10-iconic-films-that-made-actor-dilip-kumar-a-bollywood-legend-1.1607689108906&ved=2ahUKEwjh9bndz97zAhXab30KHT3tBVsQFnoECD8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw0bfyY84epbFXllKKcVbhxe&cf=1|website=Gulfnews}}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} It is considered to be the best-known cinematic rendering of the novel.{{Cite web|title=Devdas {{!}} Indian Cinema - The University of Iowa|url=https://indiancinema.sites.uiowa.edu/devdas|access-date=2021-10-22|website=indiancinema.sites.uiowa.edu|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Why Bimal Roy's Devdas remains the first among equals|url=https://theprint.in/features/reel-take/why-bimal-roys-devdas-remains-the-first-among-equals/180379/?amp|url-status=live|website=ThePrint|date=20 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022182159/https://theprint.in/features/reel-take/why-bimal-roys-devdas-remains-the-first-among-equals/180379/?amp |archive-date=22 October 2021 }}{{Cite web|date=2016-02-11|title=8 Reasons Why Bimal Roy's Devdas Beats Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Hands Down!|url=https://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/8-reasons-why-bimal-roy-s-devdas-beats-sanjay-leela-bhansali-s-hands-down-250235.html|access-date=2021-10-22|website=IndiaTimes|language=en-IN}}
Plot
Devdas is a young man from a Minor Zamindar Bengali family in India in the rural Bengal of the early 1900s. Parvati, known as Paro, is a young woman from a lower caste but middle-class Bengali Brahmin family with less affluence and status. The two families live in a village, and Devdas and Paro were childhood friends.
Devdas leaves for some years to study at a boarding school in Calcutta (now Kolkata). When, after finishing school, Devdas (Dilip Kumar) returns to the village, Paro (Suchitra Sen) looks forward to their childhood love leading to marriage. According to the prevailing social custom, Paro's parents would have to approach Devdas' parents and propose marriage.
When Paro's grandmother (Sarita Devi) makes the proposal to Devdas' mother (Pratima Devi), the latter rejects her. To demonstrate his own social status, Paro's father, Nilkant (Shivraj) then finds an even richer husband for Paro.
When Paro learns of her planned marriage, she risks her honor to meet Devdas at night, desperately believing that Devdas will quickly accept her hand in marriage. Devdas meekly seeks his parents' permission to marry Paro, but Devdas' family forbids it.
In a weak-minded state, Devdas flees to Calcutta, and from there, he writes a letter to Paro, saying that they were only friends and there was no love between them. Soon, realizing his mistake, he goes back to the village and tells Paro that he is ready to do anything needed to save their love.
By now, Paro's marriage plans are at an advanced stage, and she declines to go back to Devdas and chides him for his cowardice and vacillation. Parvati's marriage is finalized with a wealthy zamindar and widower (Moni Chatterjee) with children older than his young second wife-to-be.
In Calcutta, Devdas' carousing friend, Chunni Babu (Motilal), introduces him to a tawaif named Chandramukhi (Vyjayanthimala). Devdas takes to heavy drinking at her house, but she falls in love with him and nurses him. His health deteriorates because of a combination of excessive drinking and despair — a drawn-out form of suicide. He frequently mentally compares Paro and Chandramukhi, remaining ambivalent as to whom he really loves.
Sensing his fast-approaching death, Devdas returns to meet Paro to fulfill a vow to see her before he dies. He dies at her doorstep on a dark, cold night. On hearing of the death of Devdas, Paro runs towards the door, disregarding "purdah", but her family members prevent her from stepping outside.
Cast
- Dilip Kumar as Devdas
- Vyjayanthimala as Chandramukhi
- Suchitra Sen as Parvati "Paro"
- Motilal as Chunnilal
- Nazir Hussain as Dharamdas
- Murad as Zamindar Narayan
- Pratima Devi as Harimati
- Shivraj as Neelkanth
- Iftekhar as Dwijdas
- Kanhaiyalal as teacher
- Sarita Devi as Paro's grandmother
- Moni Chatterjee as Bhuvan Choudhury
- Nana Palsikar as Street Singer
- Dulari as Street Singer
- Parveen Paul as Devdas' sister-in-law
- Pran as Chandramukhi's Patron
- Johnny Walker as Chandramukhi's Patron
- Naaz as Young Parvati
Production
Dilip Kumar was Bimal Roy's first choice for the role of Devdas. Roy wanted Meena Kumari as Paro, and Nargis as Chandramukhi, but, Meena Kumari could not take the role because her husband Kamal Amrohi laid down certain conditions which Roy did not agree with. Nargis rejected the role of Chandramukhi as she wanted to play Paro. The role of Paro was already given to Suchitra Sen. Bina Rai and Suraiya were approached to play Chandramukhi, who refused the role for the same reason as Nargis. Ultimately, Vyjayanthimala was approached and she agreed to play Chandramukhi. About Vyjayanthimala's casting, script writer Nabendu Ghosh said:
"I did not approve of Vyjayanthimala [as Chandramukhi], but we had no option – no one wanted to play Chandramukhi, and we were committed to our distributors. We were in dire straits, and Bimalda's unit was big. He never compromised in the making [of his film]. That meant expenses. And we needed money."{{cite web|title='I did not approve of Vyjayanthimala as Chandramukhi' …|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2002/jul/05ghosh.htm/|work=rediff.com}}
Soundtrack
The Soundtrack of Devdas consists of 12 songs composed by S. D. Burman and the lyrics were penned by the veteran poet-lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi. Some of the songs were inspired by the Baul tradition. Apart from this, it also features some Thumris at Chandramukhi's place as to demonstrate tawaif culture.
| class=wikitable
! Song !! Singer |
| "Kisko Khabar Thi Aise Bhi Din Aayege" |
| "Kisko Khabar Thi Kisko Yakeen Tha" |
| "Ab Aage Teri Marzi"
| rowspan="3" | Lata Mangeshkar |
| "O Aanewale Ruk Ja" |
| "Jise Tu Qubool Karle" |
| "Manzil Ki Chah Mein" |
| "Mitwa Lagi Re Yeh Kaisi"
| rowspan="2" | Talat Mahmood |
| "Lagi Re Yeh Kaisi" |
| "Aan Milo, Aan Milo Shyam Saware"
| rowspan="2" | Manna Dey, Geeta Dutt |
| "Sajan Ki Ho Gayi Gori" |
| "O Albele Panchi, Tera Dur Thikana Hai" |
| "Wo Na Aaege Palatkar, Unhe Lakh Hum Bulaye" |
Awards
Bibliography
- {{cite book|author1=Rajinder Singh Bedi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HGd0MwEACAAJ|title=The Dialogue of Devdas: Bimal Roy's Immortal Classic Based on the Bengali Novella by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay|author2=Nasreen Munni Kabir|publisher=Om Books International|year=2012|isbn=978-93-80069-88-3|author-link2=Nasreen Munni Kabir|authorlink=Rajinder Singh Bedi}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0047990|Devdas}}
- [http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/article657430.ece Devdas review]
- [http://www.letstalkaboutbollywood.com/article-bimal-roy-s-devdas-a-burning-tragedy-103600576.html "An analysis of the film at Let's talk about Bollywood"]
{{Devdas}}
{{National Film Award Best Feature Film Hindi}}
{{Bimal Roy}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Devdas (1955 film)}}
Category:1950s Hindi-language films
Category:Films scored by S. D. Burman
Category:Films directed by Bimal Roy
Category:Indian romantic drama films
Category:Films based on Indian novels
Category:1955 romantic drama films
Category:Films about courtesans in India
Category:Indian black-and-white films
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