How do you relate the 90-year-old novel Devdas to the modern sensibilities of the young generation?
I wanted to do a love story and Devdas was not a bad subject to explore. Devdas in the modern times also represents the confused state of mind. I tried to enter into his sensibilities and Dev’s approach to the two girls Paro and Chandramukhi by discussing this with some modern young girls and also with my mother, who is orthodox by nature. How did you portray Devdas in your film? Mainly as being confused and distressed. I had cut down many of his dialogues and had presented him as an introvert. He speaks less and reacts more through his gestures. He is shown as one who is all consumed in drugs, and moving towards self-destruction. He also represents the random relationships that are rampant in the lifestyle of the youngsters today. How did you interpret Paro in Dev D? The modern Paro is not a platonic lover like Sharat Chandra’s original novel. She is very bold, in-your-face and straightforward about sex and life. In Dev D, music plays an important role, to give proper expression to th
