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Devdas (1935 film)

Devdas
Pramathesh Barua and Jamuna Barua in Devdas, 1935.jpg
Directed by Pramathesh Barua
Produced by New Theatres Ltd
Screenplay by Pramathesh Barua
Based on Devdas
by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay
Starring Pramathesh Barua
Jamuna Barua
Chandrabati Devi
Music by Timir Baran
Raichand Boral
Pankaj Mullik
Cinematography Dilip Gupta
Sudhin Majumdar
Yusuf Mulji
Nitin Bose
Edited by Subodh Mitra
Distributed by Aurora Film Corporation
Release date
29 March 1935
Running time
141 min.
Language Bengali

Devdas is a 1935 Bengali film directed by Pramathesh Barua and based on the Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay novella, Devdas. It stars Barua himself as Devdas and Jamuna Barua as Parvati (Paro) and Chandrabati Devi as Chandramukhi. This was Barua's first of three language versions of the story, the second being in Hindi and the third in Assamese.

Sharat Chandra Chatterjee's classic novel Devdas is about two lovers - Debdas and Parbati - who can never unite as mortals because of the class system in the society. Sharat Chandra Chaterjee is believed to be in his teens when he wrote Devdas in 1901. But it was published in 1917. This classic masterpiece sensitively criticizes the feudalistic society that prevailed. Devdas novel was made more than 7 times in different languages. Apparently Devdas was received with great enthusiasm in every generation and any changing trend.

All Indian prints of this Bengali version were destroyed decades ago in a fire that ravaged New Theatre’s studios. Currently, there is only one copy of the film which belongs to the Bangladesh Film Archives. And of that too almost 40 percent is destroyed.

The son of Zamindar Narayan Mukherjee, Devdas was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He grew up in the lush village of Taj Sonapur, where he spent his childhood, indulged by his lovely playmate Paro. They grew up sharing a special relationship, in which they existed only to each other. Oblivious of all the differences of status and background, a bond that would never break grew between them. Slowly, it changed to love but it was still unsaid. But the reverie was broken when his family sent Devdas to Calcutta for education. Paro's world crashed knowing that her Devdas would be gone and she lit a diya, for it signified the fast coming back of her loved one. Years passed and Devdas returned. Devdas was besotted by her stunning beauty and longed to have her back. But Zamindar Narayan Mukherjee, Devdas' father, met Paro's mother Sumitra's marriage proposal with condescending arrogance. It caused a rift between the families and even though Devdas tried to convince his father, only antagonism came his way. Finally, he moved away from Paro and wrote a letter to her, asking her to forget him. Only, he didn't realize that he would never be able to forget her ever. And much later, when he reached out to her, it was too late as she was far too humiliated. She scorned him for not standing by her and they parted forever with a heart-broken Paro entering into a chaste marriage with a wealthy, much older man, Zamindar Bhuvan, while a shattered Devdas walked towards anguish, alcoholism & Chandramukhi. Chandramukhi, a stunning courtesan instantly lost her heart to Devdas. A unique bond was formed between both as he could share with her the intense pain of his unfulfilled love for Paro. Meanwhile, Paro, on the other hand, performed her worldly duties sincerely, but inside her heart, she could never forget Devdas for a moment. Strange was the fate of Devdas. Intensely loved by two women, who were never meant to be his. One whom he could never love and one whom he could never stop loving


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