Devdas (Bengali: দেবদাস) is an upcoming Bengali film based on the Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay novel Devdas.
This is the second Bengali version and the first colour film version of
the story in Bangla. The film is second time directed by Chashi Nazrul Islam and stars Shakib Khan as Devdas Moushumi and Apu Biswas in the leading roles. and is scheduled to release on 15 February, 2013.
Devdas is a young man from a wealthy Bengali Brahmin family in Banglades
in the early 1900s. Paro (Parvati) is a young woman from a middle class
Bengali family belonging to the “merchant” caste. The two families
lived in a village in Bengal, and Devdas and Paro were childhood
friends. Devdas goes away for thirteen years to live and study in a
boarding school in the city of Calcutta (now Kolkata). When, after
finishing school, he returns to his village, Paro looks forward to their
childhood love blossoming into their lifelong journey together in
marriage.
Of course, according to the prevailing social custom, Paro's
parents would have to approach Devdas' parents and propose marriage of
Paro to Devdas as Paro longed for. When Paro's mother makes the proposal
to Devdas' mother, the latter insults her, plainly saying that the
marriage is not possible in view of her own higher caste and financial
status. To demonstrate her own social status, Paro's mother then finds
an even richer husband for Paro. When Paro learns of her planned
marriage, she stealthily meets 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' father agrees
with his wife. In a weak-minded state, Devdas then flees to Calcutta,
and from there, he writes a letter to Paro, saying that they were only
friends. Within days, however, he realizes that he should have been
bolder. He goes back to his village and tells Paro that he is ready to
do anything needed to save their love.
By now, Paro's marriage plans are in an advanced stage, and she declines
going back to Devdas and chides him for his cowardice and vacillation.
She makes, however, one request to Devdas that he would return to her
before he dies. Devdas vows to do so. Devdas goes back to Calcutta and
Paro is married off to the betrothed widower with children, who is still
in love with his previous wife and is therefore not interested in an
amatory relationship with Paro. In Calcutta, Devdas' carousing friend,
Chunnilal, introduces him to a courtesan named Chandramukhi. Devdas
takes to heavy drinking at Chandramukhi's place,
but the courtesan falls
in love with him, and looks after him. His health deteriorates because
of a combination of excessive drinking and despair of life—a drawn-out
form of suicide. Within him, he frequently compares Paro and
Chandramukhi, remaining ambivalent as to whom he really loves. Sensing
his fast-approaching death, Devdas returns to meet Paro to fulfill his
vow. He dies at her doorstep on a dark, cold night. On hearing of the
death of Devdas, Paro runs towards the door, but her family members
prevent her from stepping out of the door.
