Going Bollywood

By Richard Corliss Sunday, July 14, 2002

    • (2 of 2)

    To see if this cinematic curry is to their taste, Americans should sample Sanjay Leela Bhansali's supersplendiferous Devdas, which opened last week in 33 U.S. theaters. Reportedly the priciest movie in Indian history, Devdas could be the most visually intoxicating film ever. Its pristine, gargantuan sets inebriate the eye, even as the plot — rich boy (Shahrukh Khan) loves poor girl (former Miss World Aishwarya Rai) and suffers magnificently for it — seems drunk on luscious masochism. The dialogue is ripe enough to provide song cues for nine fabulous dance numbers. But the fervid emotion and visual chic are what make the thing sing.

    Perhaps Devdas and other Bollywood films won't mesh with our cultural prejudices. (All that singing! All that feeling! For three hours!?) Yet one can hope for an improbable, movie-style happy ending — that the next time Indian stars and directors come to America, they'll be picking up their prizes not at Bollywood's Awards, but at Hollywood's.

    3. 1
    4. 2
    5. Next Page