Since when did costume dramas get promoted as good cinema? I am ashamed that we even nominated it. There are so many good regional movies being made in India, but unfortunately they get short shrift, thanks to the Mumbai mafia. Thanks to the Academy, such garbage won't get promouted outside the country.
I was surprised that Devdas was even sent to the Oscar. Lagaan was streets ahead and was a definite Oscar nomination.
Devdas on the other hand was one big melodramatic bore. The only thing going for Devdas was the elaborate stage setups but you don't win Oscars by spending crores of rupees on your stage setup.
not trying to sound different, but I think people on the site ae being very harsh on Devdas.
Personally, as a movie, I did'nt like it much myself. BUT the sets, costumes,makeup, cinematography, was BRILLIANT. No doubt about it, was world standards. It's disheartening to see that Indian achievements are marvelled at only when the west appreciates it. Is THAT the barometer?It shouldn't be if it is. Last year, people looked down when Lagaan was sent for Oscar nominations, saying Monsoon Wedding should be sent instead, and Lagaan has too many songs, etc. Once it got the Oscar nod, people were all praises. Hopes were raised. And, when it failed to win, everyone said "Ah, obviously it wasnt good enough". Why have such narrowe percetions? The gentleman who talks about Devdas being "too loud" and all characters wailing, I ask him if he has seen "Gangs of New York". Certainly a good movie, certainly NOT Martic Socese's better works, and certainly a LOUD movie, to the extent that had it not been for Daniel Day Lewis, people would have walked out. Don't know why we still wait for the west's approval to judge our movies. Don't get me wrong. I am not advocating that Devdas should get an Oscar nod or something, all I am saying is our attitude towards our own things should change. We don't need THEIR approval to judge what's good and what's bad. We KNOW what's good and what's not.
