DevD

Its a trip down the memory lane. Memories of that Tripping lane.

I knew I had to see the movie the very first time I saw the promo.

Soon, “Patna ke Presley” hit the charts and with it a simultaneous plan for the movie was also charted. While I did see the movie, the tryst (just like the umpteen others earlier) was not to be...

It is psychedelic cinema at its Indian best. I knew Anurag Kashyap was good, Black Friday was a proof enough. With Dev-D however he takes his work to another level. Kashyap seemed to have learnt a lot from his interactions with Danny Boyle, who gave the world (or at least my generation) the first voyeuristic insight into a life with drugs- with the cult classic Trainspotting. Some might know Danny for his recent success with Slumdog too.

Anurag Kashyap, DevD and Indian cinema have all benefited from this exchange of ideas.

Technical brilliance kept aside- credit goes to Kashyap also for the craftsmanship with which he has managed to etch out each character and seamlessly blended them. So be it Dev's confused prudishness, misplaced ego circling cowardice or trampish reclusiveness. Paro- in her unkempt hair with raw demeanors, an adventurous spirit, innocence almost bordering on foolishness. Chandramukhi/Lenni- with the devil may care attitude, adolescent effervescence, confused recklessness followed by the intensely sedated acceptance of a fortuitous life. Kudos to Anurag for carving each of these with perfection into a story freshly well spun around a theme tried time and again.

Nothing is ever more orderly than confusion amidst chaos and this movie makes a perfect case for same. The confused neurotics of all the characters blended with the chaotic riot of psychedelic colours , the wild camera angles- at its very best & albeit momentarily- manage to create a momentary stupor.

Speaking of music, they say there is something about Mary (Jane)  and all her siblings that does wonders to some people increasing their music quotient by order of few. I wonder if Amit Triwedi used the same magic wand, as used by many a known mortal Gods of music – from Mozart to Cobain. I wonder if we’d ever know- but truth be told, we are given a thoroughly enjoyable score throughout which keeps entirely in tune with the script and theme. He takes refuge in a variety of musical styles, from Rock to fusion to Pop and renders a gripping score.

Set between the rustic backdrop of Punjab and parts of Delhi-the movie covers a Devdas like love triangle without compromising on the originality factor. London educated Dev returns home only to lose his childhood flame, to none other than his confused prudishness which struggles to accept Paro's overt sexuality mistaking it for lasciviousness.

Humans are gifted with the ability to make choices worst for them and Dev epitomizes the same till the very end. Succumbing to his own ego, this refuses to give way to a courageous admittance. What follows next is a trip down the tripping lane – facilitated by generous amounts of vodka, coke and also copious amounts of paternal love manifested through cash and cars. Road down the lane of self destruction is not free from heart burns either- and so it turns out. Dev reflects all that can go wrong with a man- and yet we can’t help sympathizing with him. Perhaps we have devised a way of appreciating self-pity- just perhaps. The most derisive and scathing lines are written on Dev and females in vicinity surely loved it for they punctuated many a scenes with “that bastard” said under the breath.

Paro & Lenni the female protagonists are antipodes in our society. Both born at separate ends- with one from a uber rich and upmarket delhi and the former from the rustic fields of Punjab. And so is their journey in life- while Lenni lands up in the dark alleys of Delhi, Paro becomes the proverbial lady of the manor. Their lives intertwined by one common factor- Dev, (who.., well quite ordinarily so) loves both- though in different ways…

Watch the movie for the emotional turpitudes of Dev, the emotional fortitude of Lenni, and the emotional solitude of Paro. We’ve all had trysts that were not to be  and may be on your way back – you’d want to buy yourself a Smirnoff too (I did) just remember not to drink till you reach home safe… (To be continued.. once the hangover goes :)

Watch it as an ode to Trainspotting, an ode to those umpteen hormone fuelled heartbreaks/burns/aches and finally as a that one Trip down the memory lane. Memories of that Tripping lane.