Devadasu(2006)

Aside: I always refer to this movie as Devdas. I don't know why.

The first time I watched this, I could barely get through it because of the rapid-fire, MTV style editing and lead actor Ram's histrionics(which, while watching last night, brought to mind Simbu, who may or may not be aping Vijay's style, who might be aping someone else(Rajnikanth?), and so on and so on). I should've appreciated the fact that he was under 40 and not bad-looking, but he got on my nerves so much, I wanted to slap him like he was my wayward son.

Well, mulitple viewings later, last night being the most recent, I quite like it. It's far from perfect, or original(poor boy loves rich girl but father disapproves, part two million and six), and the editing still gives me a headache, but it's colorful and frothy and makes me wish I were young and in infatuation lust love again.

My eyesight must be failing because Ileana looked bonier(well, her top half) in Devadasu than in Aata, when I initially thought it was the other way around. I dunno. Maybe I'm seeing things that aren't there, with regards to her non-fluctuating-but-I-seem-to-think-it-is weight. And while I'm on the subject of weight, I might as well throw out that I thought she looked heavier in some of the stills for Kedi, but in the movie, she was quite slim. (Yes, I have an obsession with weight and figures, both mine and other people's.)

Shriya Saran should just be an expensive item number girl. Her face and figure are perfect for that kind of thing. I'm sure--or rather, I hope--she'll be decked out in glamourous outfits(or as "glamourous" as one can get in the 7th(?) century) for Marmayogi. She's supposed to dub in her own voice so yeah, it's important that she looks good, because I don't have faith in her acting abilities.

Back to Devadasu: The songs are good, "Nuvvantene Ishtam" and its picturisation is my favorite.

I really like the scene where Ileana is tied up and blindfolded while Ram--for lack of a better word--"interrogates" her, but the less said about that, the better.

I won't call myself a Ram fan, but I do want to check out Ready to see what kind of chemistry he has with Genelia D'Souza(currenly a very close second in the girl crush department, right behind Ileana).

ETA 12/29/09: I watched it last night, and the camera tricks still give me a headache, as did Ram. The facial hair made him look about 24. I don't really like him, and I've changed my mind about Ready. I still like Genelia, but I prefer Ileana in all of her wide-hipped, big-legged glory. And yes, I do have an unhealthy obsession with the lower half of her body, mostly because I'm pear-shaped myself. I'd love to follow Keira Knightley's example and whittle down my bottom half to match the top, but then I'll see a picture or a movie with Ileana and think that maybe I don't look so bad. But, enough online therapy. Moving on.