International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848, p- ISSN: 2348-795X Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2015 Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org

From Devdas to Dev D: A study of the re-incarnation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s classic “Devdas” into AnuragKashyap’s popular “Dev-D”

Sarika Chhetry

M.Phil Scholar (JamiaMilliaIslamia, New Delhi) H.no 157 A Sec Floor, C/O MahavirSurela Near P.N.B, GurudwaraMotibagh New Delhi-110021 Email: [email protected] 9953123263

Abstract:

Indian Cinema has had an interesting history meanings, both in terms of simple since its first inception by Dada SahebPhalke nomenclature as well as depicted sexuality, in 1913. Today, it has become an influential need to be examined. medium and also a huge market industry. “Devdas”, originally written by Bengali Keywords: author Sarat ChandraChattopadhyay in 1917, Popular Culture; Re-creation; Culture Industry; is one of the most loved stories that have been Old and Modern; Mass; Identification adapted into Indian cinema. It has been re- incarnated across time, place and culture, Index Terms: Devdas; Popular Culture; keeping in mind the socio-political situation Contemporary. and the commercial demand of the masses. From Devdas to DevD: A study of the re- This paper attempts to look into this recreation incarnation of Sarat Chandra of the original Devdas, almost a cult Chattopadhyay’s classic “Devdas” into Promethean-Romeo figure, into the AnuragKashyap’s popular “Dev-D” contemporary good-for-nothing Dev. This drastic change can be read in the lines of “Every age has its own carriage, its expression, Adorno’s idea of mass consumption of the its gestures” –Baudelaire. popular culture. Representations are influenced by the demand of the market Cinema is one of the most powerful economy and culture industry. McLuhan’s idea ideological tools that capture the mind of the of how modern machines convert itself to audience. Just about a hundred years old, it has extension of our bodies can also be applied now turned into the biggest form of while looking at the modern rendition of entertainment that affects people all around the Devdas. The rich courtesan culture of world. The conception, adaptation and Chattopadhyay has been given a new address reception of movies have travelled a long in the dirty infamous streets of Delhi. The distance since 1913, the year Dada metamorphosis of Paro (Parminder) and SahebPhalkeintroduced the first silent film to Chandramukhi (Leni/Chanda) and its the „naive‟ Indian audience. Today, cinema influences people in many more ways than one and has become a huge industry that thrives on supply and demand.

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International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848, p- ISSN: 2348-795X Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2015 Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org

“Devdas”, originally written by Bengali author theory that mass media combines high and low Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1917, has culture and mixes the boundaries between been one of the most loved stories that have them, to serve the audience a plate full of what been adapted into Indian cinema. It has been is “popular” can also be explored in relation to re-incarnated across time, place and culture, Dev-D. The very fact that a classic text like keeping in mind the socio-political situation Chattopadhyay‟sDevdas has been transcreated and the commercial demand of the masses. to Dev-D, a popular narrative, points to the The original narrative focuses on Devdas, the mixing of boundaries between high and low second son of a rich aristocratic family who culture. returns to his childhood heart-throb Parvati. “Devdas is a complex character cut in the This paper would also look into how portrayal mould of an individuated, Promethean-like of Paro and Chandramukhi changes in the Romantic-rebel figure; an aristocrat at odds Post-modern version of Devdas. The women with the materialist legacy of his land-owning depicted are no longer a bag of repressed family, a lover who cannot commit, and a emotions, but strong, independent and highly repressed, politically disoriented rebel who sexualised characters who know what they meets a tragic end of his own making.” (Nag) want. Unlike Devdas, Dev lives in a globalised world, an age of heightened While directors like P. Barua(1935), Bimal Communication. He uses mobile phones, cars Roy(1955) and Sanjay LeelaBhansali‟s(2002) and gadgets to his convenience. Modern adaptations stick to Chattopadhyay‟s narrative equipment, according to McLuhan, becomes with little difference, AnuragKashyap has an an extension of our body. The ways Kashyap entire different story to tell, making the incorporates all of these to give the masses narrative contemporary, youth-centric, real and moments of identification with the characters bold. “Dev-D” adds multiple and complex is what i intend to look into. layers of signs and signification to the plot and especially the characters. The modern adaptation signifies not only the birth of the heroic Devdas in popular culture, This paper, therefore, attempts to look into the but also the entry of new heroines, equally re-incarnation of Devdas into the 21st century aggressive. Devdas becomes DevDhillon Dev, with its open depiction of sexuality and (therefore the title Dev D), while Parvati is existential angst. Bhansali‟s Devdas (2002) referred to as Parminder, mostly called Paro. was the ideal hero who falls and pathetically Chandramukhi is metamorphosed to Leni(later fails in love because he is bound to respect his called Chanda), a girl who was involved in parents‟ orders. After all, in Indian cinema, MMs scam who later turns to prostitution. And “It‟s all about loving your parents.”(Karan Chunnilal, the friend, becomes Chunni, a Johar). In within seven years, Devdas business man and a pimp. Change in reincarnates to Dev-D, the brat who cares for nomenclature is brought about in the modern none but himself. What brings about this version to symbolise how the Auteur Kashyap drastic change? Is it Kashyap‟s “vision” which provides them new incarnations in a new alters the audience or is it a result of the world. audience‟s altering taste? Adorno‟s idea of how media content is adapted to mass Paro has been depicted as a girl who voices her consumption can be looked into here. The opinions, unlike the Parvati of yesteryears. She

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International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848, p- ISSN: 2348-795X Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2015 Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org can send nude pictures, beat up boys of her can identify with Pain, irrespective of the village, demands her share of physicality when source of it. she drags a mattress to the field and remains unapologetic about it. She is even ready for Thus, “Kashyap sets up, both visually and pre-marital physical relationship with Dev. thematically, the self-obsessed, the self- However, when Dev does not accept her, she destructiveness of Dev D against the grind, fixes her marriage and dances at her own competition, commercialism and violence that wedding. Even after marriage, she comes back sorrounds him through documentary and to Dev to show him his place and tell him how documentary-like footage...”Kashyap presents happy she is sexually. “In Dev D, a text a new India and an identifiable Delhi. Unlike located in post-globalisation era, Dev is the Nehruvian era‟s middle class setting, it emasculated and infantilised by representations presents private wealth and an“informal of empowered femininities.” (Sarma,5) Post economy based on networks, deals and marriage, Paro gets transformed from the deception.” (Kapur,208) In the original figure of the object to a subject, assuming “an version, Devdas returns back after having asexual maternal subjectivity”. She does his completed his study, however in Kashyap‟s dirty laundry, washes him and takes care of his rendition, Dev returns primarily because Paro hygiene just like a mother, denying him any send him pictures of herself. The feeling is sort of sexual interests and makes fun of his entirely driven by lust and not love, proving masculinity. “I am showing you your worth” is right Freudian analysis of how sex is the key what she says before leaving. In Freudian driver of all human acts and daydreams. terms, Dev has to let go of the body of the Having studied in London, Dev has acquired “mother”. The child gets separated from the the attitude of a foreign returned individual; object of his desire. Ironically, the castration however he is still caught up in the traditional fear, here, is not brought in by the father- concepts of women as the passive one. His figure, i.e. the husband but through Paro male ego does not allow him to accept a herself. It gives a complete different twist to sexually aggressive Paro. This time it is not the characterisation of Parvati and her Devdas‟s father who rejects the match on class reception by the audience. inequality, but it is Dev himself who rejects Chattopadhyay‟sChandramukhi was placed in Paro, to keep the gender roles intact. The deep the courtesan culture where they served the seated insecurity of men with bold, assertive nobility class and was considered learned. women is,therefore, explored. Chanda has been placed in the real world of Post Paro‟s marriage, Devdas falls into the today. She works as a commercial sex worker sleazy world of drugs and prostitution. It is no in a red light area of Paharganj, who works and longer the alcohol of the 1930s that he is pays for her own college education. Almost of addicted to, but to the latest fad amongst out the setting of Jean Genet‟s The Balcony, young adultsi.eextremely expensive drugs that Chandaplays different roles in the brothel, and showcases what society and class you belong has no qualms getting involved in adult films to. It becomes a signifier of who you are; or phone-talk. This modern Chanda does not among many other market-generated goods consider herself Radha or Devdas the Krishan that culture industry feed you. He behaves like of her life. She closes on to him because she the typical aimless youth of the 21st century.

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International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848, p- ISSN: 2348-795X Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2015 Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org

However, Kashyap redeems this anti hero by car using the excess money his father provides contrasting him to all the old Devdas-figures and runs over many people killing them who could not accept the love, or for that instantly. Even his epiphanic realisation of the matter, the friendship of Chandramukhi. They importance of Life and living comes through instead prefer to die at the doorstep of Paro the crashing of a car, almost killing him. It can and “free” themselves of their guilt. Dev, on thus be seen what significant role technology the other hand, escapes from death by a plays in the life of Dev, Paro and Chanda, who whisker and thereby prefers to live. He grabs represent the modern generation that makes his second chance in love and in life by giving machines and internets their own extensions. meaning to the existentialist crisis he faced briefly. The modern Dev, after bouts of All popular literature feeds on the idea of depression, prostitution, irresponsible identification, artificial or otherwise. Whether behaviour, undergoes a full circle and finally one identifies or not with the character/thing is accepts where he stands in life. one of the most important aspects of Popular Culture. Keeping in mind this factor, Anurag AnuragKashyap completely transcreates the Kashyap has done everything in the movie to narrative and makes it his own. In one of his make it an identifiable product. He cleverly interviews, he emphasises how the major blends Chattopadhyay‟s story into theme in Debdas was miscommunication or contemporary times and situations by absence of communication in a relationship. inserting the Delhi MMS scandal and BMW Devdas and Parvati‟s communication is hit and run case into his own narrative. These restricted only to letters. But what happens incidents show the contemporary socio- when there is abundance of communication in cultural values; thereby mixing the real with Modern times? Dev and Paro are in constant the fantastical. Further, the character of Dev touch through phones and the internet, often reflects present day reality rather than indulging in the erotic. It can here be noted Chattopadhyay‟s Devdas and makes it that these mechanical equipments and its comprehensible. By feeding the bold avatars of extensive use leads to an overstimulation of women, Kashyap puts forward a narrative of emotions. Dev‟s sole reason for coming back feminist resistance to dominant socio-cultural for his brother‟s wedding was to get hold of structures. Modern Indian women may not Paro. However, when Paro gives herself to necessarily be as aggressive as Paro or him, Dev is already tired of it, fired by his Chanda, but they definitely fantasise the image jealous ego. of the two characters and see their reflection in them; hence identifying with them. “Adorno McLuhan‟s highlights how equipments concludes „Culture Industry Reconsidered‟ become extensions of human body and how with the assertion that the "happiness" human relations are also extended to produced for the masses by the culture marketisation. It can be seen how use of industry is imaginary, it induced people to technology affect the life of the characters in pursue unachievable dreams and represses all the movie. Mobile phones are used to make an those that can oppose it (what Adorno calls MMS of Lene, the school going girl and „mass deception‟).” This can be applied to flashed in the internet, immediately making “Dev-D” as well. The final shot of the movie her an outcaste by the very society that feeds shows Dev and Chanda driving the Bullet on the voyeuristic pleasure. Dev buys a new

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International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848, p- ISSN: 2348-795X Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2015 Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org towards the audience, on their way to face the Madhuri Dixit, and AishwariyaRai.SLB Court charges withoutany depression or Films, 2002.Film. negation of the self. This provides a kind of happy ending to the earlier tragic one, and which appeals to the masses as well. However, how far a personality like Dev and Chanda [4.] Dev D. AnuragKashyap. Perf.AbhayDoel, would go would is indeed left to imagination. Mahi Gill, and KalkiKoechlin.UTV Spotboy, 2009.Film. AnuragKashyap, in the end, manages to be the “engineer” who looked at the same story through a different prism and thereby manages to deliver this customised product to the [5.] Kapur, Jyotsna and Keith B. Neoliberalism masses‟ demand. The movie, categorised as and Global Cinema: Capital, Culture, and low budget cinema, was an immediate critical Marxist Critique. New York, Roiutledge, and commercial success. This rendition of 2011. Google Book search. 20 April 2014. Kashyap shows how two different takes on the McLuhan, Marshall. Understanding same story reflects change in popular tastes Media:The extensions of Man. London: and ideology over the years with regard to the Routledge and kegal Paul, 1964. Print. representation and perception of women, sexuality, and love.

Works Cited [6.] Nag, Amitava.“From Devdas to Dev”.Himal South Asian.Web. 20April [1.] Adorno, W Theodore and Max 2014. Horkheimer.“The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception”

Dialectic ofEnlightenment.Trans. John Cumming. London: Allen Lane, 2001. [7.] Sarma, Rohan. “Gods, Anti-Heroes and Print. Heroes: Exploring masculinity and the

male lover through mythological, textual [2.] Chattopadhyay, Sarat Chandra. and cinematic narratives in India.” Web. Devdas.Classic Saratchandra. New Delhi: 20April 2014. Penguin,2011. Print.

[8.] Vimarsh.Devdas to Dev.D: A Journey of a [3.] Devdas.Dir. Sanjay Modern Man. Web. 20April 2014. LeelaBhansali.Perf.Shahrukh Khan,

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