Different Strokes |  2008-11-03

Abhay Deol is drunk as Devdas

When you come from the family that defines machismo in Bollywood, you have little chance of playing the hatke roles.



You are too busy smashing bones and drinking blood to even try. You give meaning to stereotype of Alpha Male as someone who was meant to save the world from the Armageddon.

Your name is Deol, Abhay Deol and you are made of asli Neolithic genes, no metrosexuality for you please.

But Abhay was different, filmy different. He had chalked out three other professions for himself had he not got into films.

He wanted to paint. The Bitch has seen chimps paint. The Deol clan could do that with their left feet.

He wanted to pursue philosophy. The Bitch has seen the Deols do that in film after film. "My way or the highway."

He wanted to become a journalist. "Aatankwadiyon ne qila mein dakhila kar liya hai." No problemo, the Deol genes will flex muscle. From journo to superhero.

So he had to settle for films, no better choice it seems. His first film was supremely titled to reflect his doubts about his career. ‘Socha Na Tha‘ was a small beginning but it gave him the applause which no other Deol has ever got. Critical applause.

That was his calling. He went on to do 4 other films with first time directors which set him apart as the Deol who thinks, who dares to play new age.

Rare the family said, rare for our boy to be so strange. The Deols could never tell what got into him.



Abhay Deol has two films lined up in Nov-Dec. One is ‘Lucky Oye Oye Lucky‘ from Dibakar Banerjee who made ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla‘. His film is about a small time thief who wants to be the talk of the town. He chose Abhay for the role because, "Abhay has the guts to take risks and do the kind of films that he likes. He has so far stayed away from formula and has a niche audience. That‘s what I really like in him."

We like him too, this Deol does not stomp the ground to prove he can sing or dance or even act like he can do any of that. He is a natural performer.

The other film Abhay is kicked about is ‘Dev D‘, Anurag Kashyap‘s take on Devdas. The promo is out and its looking a bit like ‘Requiem For A Dream‘ met ‘No Smoking‘ to discuss Sarat Chandra‘s classic woebegone hero.

The Bitch got thinking too. Has Abhay Deol become a wimp, no gaana-bajana, no maar-dhaad, no goli-baari. Has he become the rather gawky Amol Palekar of today‘s resurgent new wave cinema?

What with Bobby Deol taking a cue and playing gay in ‘Dostana‘ and Abhay taking on all sorts of quirky characters, The Bitch has a lot to look forward to.

abhay is talented

i think abhay will be on top when ollo releases, keep up the good work, wishing u all the best | alex

---