Dev D - FOUR stars

A cool new interpretation of the classic loser story. Anurag Kashyap gets everything right - the cast, the new avataar, screenplay, music etc. etc.

Abhay Deol rocks as the loser who tries to get a life. The new actors Kalki and Mahi are superb adding a "devil may care" panache to their roles that established actors can almost never get right.

The cinematography carries you into the psychedelic experiences of Abhay Deol -- all without your knowledge.

I particularly loved how Anurag has been successful in weaving songs into scenes not for song-and-dance reasons but he has used them instead of dialogues to explain a feeling/emotion - eg. what Abhay is feeling at a particular moment of loss etc.

Many movies have experimented with the "back and forth in time" sequencing of events and editing. Anurag uses this but how! You almost don't realize it and are gently glided in and out of it.

Anurag powerfully demonstrates male chauvinism and feminism through events and doesn't "tell" about them -- something many other directors would have been tempted to do

The movie is also bold and touches on topics and lingo not oft used in Hindi movies. It was refreshing to hear the cast speak like us normal people and not wannabe Hindi/Urdu poets

Just be careful, don't see it with someone who can't handle adult lingo or scenes in the presence of company

Anurag has also gotten the locales just right, they are SO believable

He has smartly and aptly used some recent real life incidents to modernize the plot and they don't look out of place at all

Though many of you may find out that there are scenes lifted from "leaving las vegas", you'll still love the movie -- it is a one of its kind movie. This goes to show that even when you plagiarize, as long as you remain within context and do it well, people will accept it

I just wish he had also gone ahead and explored the relationship between Paro & Chanda... I was not happy that the movie ended I guess, I wanted more