Phil Goes Bollywood: Phil attends the 15th anniversary screening of DEVDAS at the Cinemark Century 20 Oakridge Mall - September 2, 2017

It's been way too long since I went and visited the magical world of Bollywood! What brought me back to this wonderful wonderland was that Fathom Events was having a special 15th anniversary screening of the critically acclaimed award winning film DEVDAS, which was originally released back in 2002. The opportunity to see this magnificent film on the big screen was something that I could not miss! So I headed on over to the Cinemark Century 20 Oakridge Mall where the Fathom Events screening was.

American Theatrical Poster (2002)

The film's official synopsis: The son of Zamindar Narayan Mukherjee, Devdas (Shahrukh Khan) was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He grew up in the lush village of Taj Sonapur, where he spent his childhood with his playmate Paro (Aishwarya Rai). They grew up sharing a special relationship. Oblivious of all the differences of status and background, a bond that would never break grew between them. Soon, Devdas is sent to London for his education. Years later Devdas returns. Devdas besotted by Paro's stunning beauty longs to marry her. But Devdas' father meets Paro's mother with condescending arrogance. It causes a rift between the families and even though Devdas tries to convince his father, his father doesn't relent. Paro then enters into a chaste marriage with a wealthy, much older man, Zamindar Bhuvan, while a shattered Devdas walks towards anguish, alcoholism and Chandramukhi (Madhuri Dixit), a stunning courtesan, who passionately loves him. Meanwhile, Paro, on the other hand, performs her worldly duties sincerely, but inside her, she can never forget Devdas. 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.

Over the years, I have only seen pieces of the film online or read about the film. I was totally unprepared how outstanding the film was! It truly does live up to its reputation as one of the very best Bollywood films of the modern age! From its colorful costumes, towering sets and musical numbers, every single frame of the movie is a beautiful cinematic masterpiece of epic proportions!

What makes it so amazing is the strong performances by its three leads. Shahrukh Khan is one of the finest actors in Bollywood today. His portrayal Devdas is relatable: he's an arrogant, spoiled and flawed individual who later realizes that he had taken the love of Paro for granted. His loss sends him straight to the bottom of a bottle as he tries to forget the ache of his broken heart. Aishwarya Rai is one of the most stunningly beautiful actresses to ever grace the silver screen! Her performance is wonderful to witness as her character is a strong, defiant and loving woman who wishes to be with her beloved Devdas. Last, but certainly not least, actress Madhuri Dixit's acting is just spectacular. We feel for her as she tries over and over again to win the heart of Devdas, only to have him reject her heart repeatedly. The musical number with both Rai and Dixit was one of the film's highlights for me. They both displayed amazing on-screen chemistry and reminded us that it doesn't matter where you come from, it's about who you are as a person and what lies within your heart.

The film was released to theaters in India on July 12, 2002 and instantaneously received praises from both critics and fans alike. It went on to win ten awards at the 2002 Filmfare Awards, five awards at both the 2002 National Awards and the 2003 Star Screen Awards. It was nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars in 2003 and that same year won a staggering sixteen awards at the 4th Annual IIFA Awards. It was also the highest grossing Bollywood film of 2002.

DEVDAS is one of my favorite Bollywood movies of all time!! This would be a great introduction for those who have never seen a Bollywood film before! With its high production values, grand directing, amazing songs and stellar acting, it's gone on to become a benchmark within the genre! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

DEVDAS is currently available on DVD and VOD from Eros International Pictures. To purchase a copy for yourself, and to learn more about Eros and their film library, visit their website at erosnow.com. To learn more about Fathom Events and their upcoming schedule, visit their website at www.fathomevents.com.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the show!