The scion of a wealthy landowner family turns to alcohol and self-pity and slowly self-destructs after class differences force him to break off his relationship with his childhood sweetheart.
Devdas and Parvati had been inseparable as children, and as they grew older, Love Blossomed. Devdas is sent away for studies by his parents - he and Parvati are separated. A chain of events lead to Parvati being married off to someone else and Devdas drowns his sorrows in alcohol. When Devdas is pronounced critical due to his drinking, he remembers the promise he had made to Parvati, of coming to see her before he dies. Will he fulfilled this promise or not?—gavin ([email protected])
Childhood sweethearts, Devdas (Dilip Kumar) and Parvati or Paro (Suchitra Sen) grow up in a small village with a love-hate relationship which changes to love when they mature. Devdas comes from a very rich and wealthy family. His dad does not approve of his marriage or even any friendship with Paro, and sends him away to Calcutta. Disheartened Devdas gives up on his love, and Paro gets married to a much older man, who has a grown-up son and daughter. Devdas realises he is unable to give up his love for Paro and returns to the village, only to find that she is married. He returns to Calcutta and falls into bad company and alcohol. He is introduced to a dancer, Chandramukhi (Vyjayantimala), who adores him and falls hopelessly in love with him. Devdas in not aware of Chandramukhi's affection and love for him, as most of his time is spent in a alcoholic stupor, and lust for Paro.—rAjOo ([email protected])
Set against the backdrop of rural Bengal during feudal times, Devdas is a young man from a wealthy Bengali Brahmin family in India in the early 1900s. Paro, alias Parvati is a young woman from a middle-class Bengali Brahmin family, but belonging to a slightly lower status in terms of caste, affluence, and status. The two families lived in a village, and Devdas and Paro were childhood friends. Devdas's teacher (Kanhaiyalal) is really strict and diligent. But Devdas keeps escaping from his school to play with Paro. The teacher complains to Narayan Mukherjee (Murad), Devdas' father, who is also the landlord . Dvijadas (Iftekhar) is Devdas's older brother.. Nilkanth Chakraborty (Shivraj) is Parvati's father ..
Devdas goes away for some years to live and study in a boarding school in the city of Calcutta. When, after finishing school, Devdas (Dilip Kumar) returns to his village, Paro (Suchitra Sen) looks forward to their childhood love blossoming into their lifelong journey together in marriage. Of course, according to the prevailing social custom, Paro's parents would have to approach Devdas' parents and propose a marriage of Paro to Devdas as Paro has longed for.When Paro's grandmother (Sarita Devi) makes the proposal to Devdas' mother Harimati (Pratima Devi), the latter rejects her. To demonstrate his own social status, Paro's father, Nilkant (Shivraj) then finds an even richer husband for Paro.
When Paro learns of her planned marriage, she risks her honor to meet Devdas at night, desperately believing that Devdas will quickly accept her hand in marriage. Devdas meekly seeks his parents' permission to marry Paro, but Devdas' family was against him.In a weak-minded state, Devdas then flees to Calcutta, and from there, he writes a letter to Paro, saying that they were only friends and there was no love between them. But soon realizing his mistake, he goes back to the village and tells Paro that he is ready to do anything needed to save their love.By now, Paro's marriage plans are in an advanced stage (plus she got Devdas's letter), and she declines to go back to Devdas and chides him for his cowardice and vacillation. Parvati's marriage is finalized with a wealthy landlord and widower Bhuvan Choudhuri (Moni Chatterjee) with children (Mahendra and Yashoda) older than his young second wife-to-be.Bhuvan knows that he is much older to Paro and admits as much that perhaps he didn't do justice to her life by marrying her. Paro is completely devoted to Paro and wins over Mahendra and Yashoda with her love.
In Calcutta, Devdas' carousing friend, Chunni Babu (Motilal), introduces him to a courtesan named Chandramukhi (Vyjayanthimala). Devdas takes to heavy drinking at Chandramukhi's place, but the courtesan falls in love with him and looks after him. Chandramukhi begs Chunni Babu to continue bringing Devdas to the brothel. Chandramukhi's patrons include 2 customers (Pran) and (Johnny Walker).. Devdas keeps coming back to Chandramukhi as every moment alone is like an eternity to him..Devdas's father dies, Devas decides to visit home.. Paro also comes to pay her respects and ends up meeting Devdas. Paro learns that Devdas has taken to alcohol and is spending all his money on Chandramukhi. Paro tries to speak with Devdas, who only promises to meet her before he dies, so she can serve him.His health deteriorates because of a combination of excessive drinking and despair of life - a drawn-out form of suicide. Within him, he frequently compares Paro and Chandramukhi, remaining ambivalent as to whom he really loves. Chandramukhi knows that Devdas pines for Paro and is really in love with her. She gives up her singing and dancing for her customers & patrons. Chandramukhi explains how men and women approach love differently in life..
In 2.5 yrs after his father's death, Devdas has spent over half his wealth. Paro learns of this and comes to the village to meet him, but Devdas had left by then (he fought with his elder brother, took another rs 5000 and left for Calcutta).Meanwhile Chandramukhi misses Devdas and comes to visit him in the village (she gets the address from Chunni Babu).. but Devdas had gone by then, and so Chandramukhi returns to her apartment and quits dancing. After a few months, Devdas visits her and is depressed to see that Chandramukhi wont dance anymore and he leaves. Chandramukhi decides to dance again and dresses every night, but only to dance for Devdas and no-one else.Chandramukhi is tired of waiting and goes looking for him on the streets of Calcutta. She finds him in the gutters behind a garbage can. Chandramukhi brings Devdas home and nurses him back to some health. The doctor says that Drinking is poison to Devdas. Doctor also orders fresh country air and Devdas decides to go back home.
With his servant Dharamdas, Devdas travels to Delhi, Madras, Bombay, Lahore.. but he cant find peace. He meets Chunni Babu on the train and gets to drinking again. Sensing his fast-approaching death, Devdas returns to meet Paro to fulfill a vow that he would see her before he dies. He dies at her doorstep on a dark, cold night. On hearing of the death of Devdas, Paro runs towards the door, disregarding "purdah", but her family members prevent her from stepping out of the door.The movie powerfully depicts the prevailing social customs in Bengal in the early 1900s, which are largely responsible for preventing the happy ending of a genuine love story.
