Posted:
I had mentioned in my post that it occurred to me, based on Dev's behaviour, that he is in a self-destructive path like Devdas. So I thought I'd make a separate post of it.
I am Bengali. So I have read Devdas in its original version.
Devdas had been remade over and over because despite having a simple plot of star-crossed lovers, the characters are very complicated.
I think there is hardly anyone who hasn't heard about the story or hadn't seen a movie version or read the original or the translation.
Devdas, Sharat Chandra Chattapadhyay wrote as a weak and impulsive character.
When describing Devdas, he wrote and I am roughly translating it.
Some people are strong. They can make tough decisions and stick with them. But some people are weak and impulsive. They take decisions at a moment's notice and then when everything starts to fall apart, they scramble to fix the problem without realising that it's too late. They are then bewildered as a child and left wondering why it happened to them. Devdas was the later breed.
When Paro refused to forgive Devdas for abandoning her when she needed him the most and to show the same commitment for her as she showed him, Devdas felt betrayed. Unreasonable, but he did.
Devdas always felt a certain claim on Paro and her love. He felt that it stood the test of time, then it will definitely hold its patience forever.
He thought because she was the one who loved first and for the longest of time, whenever he is ready for her and give her a shout, she will come running just like she used to as a child even after he misbehaved with her the previous day.
He couldn't accept that his own actions had caused Paro to come to the conclusion that the way she had loved him, Devdas didn't love her. She, as a woman, was willing to risk shame, honour, pride for her love. But when Devdas left suddenly telling her that he couldn't do the same, Paro thought that was how little she meant to him when all Devdas did was take another impulsive decision.
When he reached Kolkata and thought that he lost Paro, he hurried back. But by then Paro had already made a commitment to marry Brijbhushan. And Paro doesn't change her mind after making a decision. She is the former breed.
We all know how the story ends.
Now bringing the parallel to our show, Dev's behaviour is very erratic right now. He knows what he wants and he also knows what he doesn't want to want. So like the kid on the playground whose friends don't want to play with him anymore, he is kicking up a fuss and claiming, "I never wanted to play with you losers anyway" when all he wants is for his friends to ask him to play again.
Devdas was the same. He made an impulsive decision he regretted and when he went to reverse it back, it was too late. So in anger he hit Paro with a necklace leaving a permanent reminder on her face so that she never forgets him.
After that he went completely on a destructive path that even Chandramukhi with her infinitely patient love and care could not bring him back. Because while he had a fondness for Chandramukhi and sometimes pity for her unrequited love for him, unlike the recent movie, Devdas never loved anyone but his Paro.
He once had asked Paro to run away with him so that they can stay together again. Paro, by that time a married woman had refused. That took away last of his hopes for ever seeing Paro again. Except that day Paro asked him to come to her if he needs her. Devdas had promised that if that is her wish and if taking care of him will make her happy, then before his death, he will definitely come to her.
After that, Devdas almost accelerated his death to get to Paro. Dev seems to be doing the same. Accelerating his destruction to get Sona's attention.
Mamaji once had said, "Every lover is Devdas".
And Dev said, "Main Devdas nehin Dev Dixit hoon."
Only time will tell who was right.
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