One would read loads about the three lead players in Devdas, but what gives Devdas a strong backbone of support is the performances of its cameo players.
Kiron Kher steals the movie in all the scenes she appears in. Her unbridled happiness and dancing at the prospect of her daughter marrying Devdas, and later her rage at rejection make good histrionics. Watch out for her fiery verbal exchanges with Devdas’ mother. Also the way she declares the interval drawing a corollary between the movie and the two acts of a nautanki performance, is a high point.
Another eye-catching cameo is that played by Ananya Khare (recently seen in Chandni Bar) as Devdas’ bhabhi. Exaggerated, screechy and over the top, reminds one of the mannerisms of Lalita Pawar, Shashikala and Manorama of yesteryears.
Jackie puts in a lot of enthusiasm in his Chunnilal. Had the part been done by any other actor, it might have just been a silly caricature. Jackie gives this frivolous funny character a classy touch that only he can impart. Although it was pleasant to see Vijayendra Ghatge on screen after all these years, we weren’t missing him anyway. Milind Gunaji too was suitably slimy.
Devdas is packed with the some of the most deliciously stylish dialogues that one has heard in recent times. The verbal exchanges between characters, the choice of words, and the repartee are a welcome change from what one usually hears Hindi movie characters speak. Another welcome change was that for once Shahrukh Khan did not over-act. This is the one movie in which his true acting capabilities are at full display. The 2 leading ladies, Madhuri & Aishwarya look ravishing, and act superb. To analyse who is better among the two is very difficult and in fact unnecessary.
Music by Ismail Darbar though not a patch over Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, suits the film n the songs sound better when you see the picturisation.
Each frame of the movie, and the progression of scenes shows the effort and attention to detail that must have gone into the making of this movie. The sets, colours, costumes, the pretty heroines, the overall grandeur makes Devdas A visual treat