Dance in India

The three protagonists of Devdas have also undergone drastic changes in terms of attire over the three different movies shot in different eras of Indian cinema. For instance, the very first and second Devdas films have been shot with austerity wherein the costumes are used to enhance the element of traditional Bengali culture by keeping it simple and using handloom cotton Bengali saris for Paro and Chandramukhi with subtle jewelry.

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However, come and the Shahrukh-starrer Devdas was a complete foil to what we had earlier seen, with dress designers who were hired to dress up the protagonists after a lot of research. Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the director, chose the path of unabashed opulence to highlight the three characters by having Abu Sandeep dress up Chandramukhi Madhuri Dixit in great finery by using Banarasi brocades, embroidered blouses, silks, jadau and gold ornaments.

Devdas originally started off as a novel written by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay that was later turned into a Hindi film in three different eras: The first movie starred the legendary K. Saigal as Devdas, who sang his own songs and lent the movie the charm of honest cinema. The second version starred the superstar of those times, Dilip Kumar, as Devdas whose presence livened up the silver screen and made the movie a resounding success. The film was made in and Bollywood actors Dilip Kumar, Suchitra Sen and Vyajanthimala were the leading characters.

The film upholds Bengali culture and the traditional outlook while keeping alive the essence of the story in the simplest of settings.


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No grand display of costumes, no ornate sets, no heavy makeup, and no glitter and glamor. The black and white cinematography adds to the uncomplicated visual effect that the movie has in terms of its style and appeal. Devdas has been reinvented and resurrected over three distinct eras, wherein the essence of the self-destructive and narcissistic Devdas remains unaltered and so does the storyline of his tragedy. However, the three different actors who have portrayed this epic character have given it shades that have made each Devdas distinctively different and unique in style and essence.

The very first Devdas portrayed by Kundan Lal Saigal is a very simple film that stays true to most of the novel written by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay in terms of how he appeared upon his return from England and how he later converted to traditional wear during his days of alcoholism and despondency.

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The western attire with the full suit, tie, shoes, hat and walking stick are all present and so is the crispness in the traditional Bengali dhoti, kurta and shawl- but that is secondary to the performance and music of the film. The second version of Devdas which was directed by the legendary director Bimal Roy is perhaps the most authentic adaptation of the book and does poetic justice to the essence of Devdas.


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Devdas, portrayed by Dilip Kumar, has been the most influential and the entire film exudes a Bengali sensibility of cinema like that of Satyajit Ray. The settings are natural instead of lavish sets, therefore the movie is more believable. Likewise, Devdas is also shown to be dressed in western attire that is elegant and sophisticated- but not over the top.

Same is for his traditional attire that has been designed to exude a typical Bengali charm of that era.

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However, the most recent Devdas, Shahrukh Khan has perhaps been the most grandest of the lot with Abu Jani creating both the western and traditional outfits. There has been a keen eye for details when it comes to the colors, the cotton and silks of Bengal, the chikankari embroidery work on the kurtas, the typical golden buttons of the suit, the hat, the English overcoat and the polka-dotted bow-tie.

Opulent is what describes the attire of the most recent Devdas. Paro or Parvati is the quintessential character that has a joint destiny with the main protagonist of the film, Devdas. This song and others from the Vivaah soundtrack feature a full orchestra combined with traditional Indian instruments such as the sitar, sarod, violin, dholak, and tabla.

The male and female vocalists traditionally take turns singing in order to help narrate the story and only use Hindi lyrics. Because of this, filmmakers look for more contemporary music and lyrics in order to appeal to the younger audience, who make up about 30 percent of the population Ians. The film, Luv Ka The End, appealed to a younger audience and contained themes much different than those used in traditional Hindi films.

The whole system of filmmaking is changing. The following video is a track from the movie, Luv Ka The End: In this song, male and female vocalists interact, a common technique used in Bollywood film music. Unlike traditional music, this song and many others featured in the film are a lot more rock-based. Music is used in Bollywood films to help tell the story.

In modern films, English is sometimes spoken or featured in the songs. English does not serve much of a purpose in Bollywood music. The use of the English language in Hindi makes it difficult for Indian audiences to relate to the film. Although many Indians adopt English as a second language, Bollywood music should honor tradition and strictly use Hindi lyrics.

Although Bollywood will continue to evolve, it is important that Indian tradition is still kept. More filmmakers are interested in what will satisfy foreign audiences or younger audiences. When combining too many Western influences with classic Bollywood film and music, Indian culture and traditions are often lost.

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The desire for more western-like themes in Bollywood films directly affects the music. The music of Bollywood must refrain from total change because it is such an important part of Indian culture and tradition. Made with by Graphene Themes. Holy Hip-Hop Music Education.