Jul. 11, 2002|India|185 Min.|Not Rated
Genre: Drama;Romance
Description: In the early 1900s, Kaushalya learns that her younger son, Devdas, is returning home after a decade-long absence to study law in London. She shares the news with her neighbor, Sumitra, who is thrilled. Devdas and Sumitra’s daughter, Parvati (Paro), share a deep childhood friendship. Before Devdas left for London, Paro lit an oil lamp to ensure his safe return and kept it burning ever since. Upon his return, their bond blossoms into love. Everyone expects them to marry, but Devdas’ sister-in-law, Kumud, reminds Kaushalya of Paro’s background—her maternal family consists of nautch girls and performers, which she deems unsuitable for Devdas’ family. Sumitra publicly expresses her wish for Devdas and Paro to marry, but Kaushalya publicly humiliates her, rejecting the proposal due to their perceived lower social status. Heartbroken, Sumitra hastily arranges Paro’s marriage to Bhuvan, a wealthy forty-year-old widower with three grown children, who is better off than Devdas’ family.
When Devdas’ father also rejects Paro, Devdas leaves his parents’ home and takes shelter in a brothel. He writes a letter to Paro, falsely claiming that he never loved her. At the brothel, he meets Chandramukhi, a kind-hearted tawaif who falls in love with him. Over time, Devdas realizes his mistake in abandoning Paro and rushes to her during her wedding, pleading with her to elope. However, Paro refuses, reminding him of how easily he had cast her aside. She marries Bhuvan, who admits that he only married her to be a mother to his children and manage his estate, as his heart still belongs to his late wife. Paro dutifully fulfills her role, while a devastated Devdas remains at Chandramukhi’s brothel, descending into alcoholism. When Devdas’ father is on his deathbed, he asks to see his son. Devdas arrives too late, attending only his father’s funeral, where he causes a scene before collapsing.
Cast director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Cast actor: Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Smita Jaykar, Manoj Joshi, Ananya Khare, Milind Gunaji, Dina Pathak, Kirron Kher
Original name: देवदास