DC
Cast: Lokesh Kanagaraj, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sanjana Krishnamoorthy, Krish Dayal
Director: Arun Matheswaran
Rating: ★★★½
Arun Matheswaran has the task of retelling Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Bengali classic Devdas in an engaging manner with DC. From Akkineni Nageswara Rao to Shah Rukh Khan and Abhay Deol, the spoilt alcoholic brat has been immortalised on screen many a time. Now, what can Lokesh Kanagaraj, in his debut as an actor, offer that’s different from what we’ve seen before?
DC movie story
Like any good Devdas adaptation, we have Devadas (Lokesh Kanagaraj), Parvathy (Sanjana Krishnamoorthy) and Chandra (Wamiqa Gabbi) driving this tale. Das is a gangster whose own father no longer speaks to him due to his affinity for violence. Parvathy is a bar singer whose romance with Das is cut short before it can even fully bloom. And then there’s the abused and exploited prostitute Chandra, who sees a ray of hope and grabs on to it. But will a romance like that ever find the space to survive?
DC movie review
DC is a tale driven by desire. The desire of those living on the fringes of society to lead a normal life. The desire of fathers to ensure their children get access to the best education so they lead a different life from them. Often, characters in this film long for a wife and children, for a different vocation. But what happens when innocent desires are snuffed out by greed and lust? Is the one who’s supposed to be delivering justice still in the right when the one supposedly in the wrong is just fighting for normalcy?
How’s Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Devadas different?
For starters, filmmaker Arun moves the setting from affluent locales to a gang that murders and loots for money. His Devadas has nothing to lose. Lokesh’s character might be capable of physical violence, but he isn’t capable of emotional violence like the OG Devdas is. Under his wild-haired, blood-soaked surface lies a man who wants to do right by people, even if it’s at the cost of risking his safety. If you’ve ever wondered what the privileged, selfish, chauvinistic and class-conscious Devdas would look like in another world, you have the answer.
What works and doesn’t work for DC
DC doesn’t offer a story you haven’t seen before. The common man suffering injustice and a self-appointed saviour rising to save the day is one you’ve seen before. You’ve also seen tales of love that burn fast and bright, only to be cut short by fate. But Arun ensures to keep you on your toes even when telling a familiar tale. There are moments when you wonder what the point of it all is. But they’re soon undercut by violence that looks gory but feels cathartic.
Tender moments in this tale of violence are few and far between, but when Arun takes a beat to let his characters breathe, they land perfectly even amidst all the chaos. A moment between Devadas and Chandra when they almost let themselves hope feels heartbreaking. A father-son reunion has warmth and the promise of a better life beneath the anger on the surface. However, Arun falters in making the film feel seamless; at times, it all feels hollow. But before that idea can take root in your head, he delivers scenes that make you forget any doubt you had.
Anirudh Ravichander steals the show
DC might have gotten attention for being Lokesh’s debut as an actor, and he does well enough to shut down all the sceptics, but this film is largely aided by Anirudh Ravichander’s music. Be it in scenes where Wamiqa makes the best use of her newfound agency or the ones where Krish Dayal’s performance as a police officer on Das’ heels makes you detest him, the music swells and immerses you into the world.
Anirudh gives what’s probably the best score of his career, with tunes that weave together everything from Afro and country Western to Hindustani and Carnatic. The music is never distracting but stands out even in the most chaotic scenes. By the time the now-familiar DC theme music rolls around, you just know he has a winner at hand.
Is DC a hit or a miss?
DC might have a familiar story to tell, but Arun Matheswaran does enough to ensure you don’t know what’s coming next. Lokesh makes a stellar debut, as Wamiqa and Krish aid him with their dependable performances. For once, a tale of a saviour trying to deliver justice in his own manner doesn’t rub you the wrong way. DC is a beautifully brutal tale of people broken by the system that lingers long after it’s done. To me, that’s a win.