Devdas

<p>Devdas is a young man from a Minor Zamindar family in in the rural 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 ). When, after finishing school, Devdas ( ) returns to the village, Paro ( ) 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 ( ), introduces him to a tawaif named ( ). 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 ” “, but her family members prevent her from stepping outside. Dilip Kumar was Bimal Roy’s first choice for the role of Devdas. Roy wanted as Paro, and as Chandramukhi, but, Meena Kumari could not take the role because her husband 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. and 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.” The Soundtrack of consists of 12 songs composed by and the lyrics were penned by the veteran poet-lyricist . Some of the songs were inspired by the tradition. Apart from this, it also features some at Chandramukhi’s place as to demonstrate culture.</p>