Devdas: Editing Analysis

Click here for a summary of Devdas

The scene I chose is from the Indian tragedy film, Devdas.  It is the final scene of the film where the main character, Devdas, dies out of grief and drunkenness.  This scene has always been my favorite because it is so elemental and beautiful. Here, Parvati is restricted to her home by her elderly husband.  Her step-son informs her of the man outside their mansion who is dying.  He tells her that it is a man from her village named Devdas, who has a half done tattoo of her name on his arm (as it started to rain at the carnival where he was getting the tattoo done).  She immediately recognizes him as her Deva, her childhood love.  Out of sheer emotion, she uncontrollably runs to meet him before he dies.  However, her husband and everyone in the mansion tries to stop her.  The beauty of this scene is captured by different camera angles and aesthetics within the set and costume.  Her flowing saree in the back as she runs, the decorated hallways that surround her, and the bright red trees that shower Devdas as he dies are key aspects that make this scene so beautiful.  The use of close ups, extreme closeups, birds eye shots, and perspective shots help convey the dramatic nature of this scene.  Devdas promised Parvati that he would die at her doorstep and see her for the last time.  As he watches her, blurry, running towards him, he captures his last glimpses of her.  The emotion runs high because of the amount of close ups and extreme close ups present.  There is intense grief and helplessness in both Devdas' and Parvati's expressions.  
The editing of the sound and music were also key to this scene.  The voices of the other people calling Parvati's name were echoing and lower in volume in comparison to the dramatic music.  This was important because it highlighted Parvati's lack of concern for what was happening around her.  She shut everyone off as she mindlessly ran to see Devdas.  
The other element of editing that stood out to me was when shots of childhood Parvati running after Devdas and crying as he left for London were put back to back with shots of Parvati running to see a dying Devdas.  This highlighted the fact that Parvati and Devdas are never to be united.  
Of course, last thing the camera rests on is Devdas' lifeless arm with Parvati's incomplete name tattooed on it.  

Devdas: A Summary

Devdas is a beautiful Indian film that tells the tragic tale of Devdas' and Parvati's love.  Devdas comes from a wealthy family of landowners and Parvati is his neighbor who is not as wealthy.  Dev and Paro are inseparable childhood friends until Dev's father, out of spite for their growing closeness, sends Dev off to boarding school in London.  Upon his return, Devdas is very much in love with an anticipating Parvati.  Parvati has lit a candle in hopes that one day her and Dev will be together.  Their love and romance is highly dramatic and theatrical throughout the film.  When Dev's father finds that Devdas and Parvati are still in love, he is angered.  His entire family insults Parvati's mother and say that they will never get their daughter married to a respectable man.  Out of hurt pride and spite, Parvati's mother arranges her marriage with an elderly, widowed, and extremely wealthy landowner.  After this wedding takes place, Dev becomes a hopeless alcoholic that treads the streets of brothels.  He leaves his home and constantly insults his family members who are only concerned with name and wealth.  Devdas meets Chandramukhi, a beautiful prostitute who has fallen in love with him.  But she is hopeless because she is a prostitute and he is madly in love with Paro. 

 In Paro's new home, she is given much respect from  her step children who are the same age as her.  She is wealthy and respected, however, love is missing.  Her elderly husband tells her that she might be his wife but she can never replace his first wife (who has died).  She also tells him of her love for Devdas, but he expresses anger and locks her in the house.  One day, as promised, Devdas is dying in front of her house because of his constant consumption of alcohol.  While trying to meet him for the last time, Parvati is shut in her house and Devdas dies after seeing a glimpse of her.  He then speaks of childhood memories and childhood love.