Devdas, the son of a wealthy landlord, has always shared a special bond of friendship with his childhood companion, Paro. But class status and the caste system have always come between their neighbouring families. Unable to comprehend his son's continual mischief, landlord Mukerjee sends the young Devdas to London for his studies. The film begins with a sense of great anticipation as a sophisticated Devdas comes home after ten glorious years in London.
He meets Paro who has grown into a beautiful woman. Their friendship is rekindled and turns into love. The twist comes when Paro's mother, Sumitra, wants the youngsters to marry but is publicly humiliated by Devdas' mother Kaushalya . An angry Sumitra vows to marry her daughter to a man far superior in status and wealth and condemns Devdas to a life without love. Meanwhile, Paro tries to explain her plight to Devdas but he advises her that it is better they go their separate ways in order to save the honour of their respective families.
He soon realises his mistake but it is too late to undo the damage ... a decision he regrets for the rest of his life.
A distraught Devdas leaves home and seeks refuge with a friend, Chunni Babu, who introduces him to the beautiful courtesan Chandramukhi. She finally finds the love that she has been searching for in Devdas, but it is not enough to save him. For Devdas, only love of his unreachable Paro keeps him alive. He remains intoxicated with alcohol in order to forget her. Finally the day comes when Devdas senses his last moments are near. His yearning to see Paro intensifies. He fights for a few extra moments and reaches her doorstep.
But even as the gates of Paro's mansion remain closed, the gates of heaven open for Devdas. He never sees the next morning. But Paro does. Yet for her the sun never shines again. Her 'diya' loses its light forever ...
The musical score by Ismail Darbar is a real treat. It's also a feast for the eyes too as it comes alive onto the silver screen in the form of the Indian classical dance call 'bharatnatyam'. The highlight of the film is the mesmerising 'Dola Re Dola' number which is sure to be appreciated by the audience. But 'Hamesha Tumko Chaha' which sees a wedded Paro leaving her family home for the last time is sure to bring a lump to the throat. On the technical front - lavish sets, colourful costumes and brilliant cinematography coupled with unusual camera movements hold the attention till the very last frame. Performances by the three main actors are first rate. Shah Rukh excels as Devdas, Aishwarya Rai gracefully portrays the elegance of Paro, whilst Madhuri sizzles with glamour personified as the devoted Chandramukhi. Having already reached number five in the UK Top Ten in its opening week, this Indian masterpiece will remain etched in the minds of both Asian and English moviegoers for a long time to come. Reviewed By: Manish Gajjar
BBC Shropshire's Bollywood Specialist | 
