She is basically saying, that as Paro’s family comes from a line of dancers, their status will never equal that of her family’s.
In disgust of the idea of her family linking with that of Sumitra, she says, “Why draw water from poisoned wells? You may not betray the traits, but your genes remain the same, that of the dancing girls…Don’t you try to palm off your bad coin”. When the performance concludes, Kaushalya, instead of thanking Sumitra for her effort, accuses her of trying to manipulate a marriage between the families to acquire status and wealth. She had come to their home with under the impression that a marriage was to be arranged between her daughter and X’s son. In one scene, Paro’s mother Sumtria dances for the family of Kaushalya, Devdas’s mother. And further, that while the perceived worth of one person is measured in juxtaposition to that of another, the scales are inherently skewed by classism, patriarchy, and hypocrisy. Namely, that profession is not a measure of someone’s humanity. Moreover, in Chandramukhi and Sumitra, Devdas presents a narrative that deserves to be told. See the below song, Silsila Ye Chaahat Ka, for example. Under the direction of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and in a trend apparent in his films since, every frame is striking, every color radiant. In appreciationĭevdas is a stunning film. The film is ultimately the story of the pushes and pulls of love and rejection between Devdas, Paro, and Chandramukhi.Īs indicated above, there is much to appreciate about Devdas, but also much for concern. In despair, Devdas turns to drinking, and is held from the abyss of alcohol poisoning only by the care of Chandramukhi (Madhuri Dixit), a dancer from the city’s red-light district. In the turmoil that follows, Paro accepts a marriage proposal from another man. In this attempt, she spurned, as Kaushalya believes that Sumitra’s background as an actor and a dancer makes her and her family inferior. With their special relationship in mind, Paro’s mother, Sumitra, seeks approval for their marriage from Devdas’ mother, Kaushalya. Devdas and Paro are childhood friends, and in their minds, made for one another. But in others, a link between violence and love is drawn and in some ways, glorified.ĭevdas is the tragic love story of Devdas (Shah Rukh Khan) and Paro (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), and is set around 1900. In some scenes, the film pushes against ideas of worth as dictated by men and society. But also much with which to have concern. There is so much to like about Devdas (2002).