Of Gulmohar, Devdas and Autumn..

It was last year that my love for Gulmohar grew deeper as I incessantly watched the tree from my window shedding its warm petals making a carpet of beautiful red.  As rains beautify its color more, the gamut is always worth a watch.

As I walked the lanes for my rendezvous with rains, I found this beautiful foliage of Gulmohar near the stem of the tree.

To do poetic justice for the visual, I was obviously reminded of the last scene of Devdas (2002), where Deva is, breathing his last, under the Gulmohar tree waiting for a glimpse of Paro. As Paro runs the length of her husband's magnificient mahal to reach Deva, you are reminded of the voice of little Paro running behind Deva's chariot as he leaves for London. Only this time she is going to miss him forever! The music goes grand with "ho rama ho.."

The walls and the huge gates keep her from seeing Deva for the last time. As she collapses in utter despair on the gate, Deva breaths his last. He dies with his eyes open, still waiting to see Paro one last time.

The camera goes top wide as Gulmohar starts showering on the love that was! 

Bhansali pans to the close up of Deva's face and eyes. The camera starts moving towards his hand as Deva's voiceover engulfs 

"Chalo phir dhoond laaye hum..Usi masoom bachpan ko..

Jaha sapna sajaya tha..Jaha bachpan bitaya tha..

Jaha phoolon ke saaye mein..Gharonda ek banaya tha.."

The camera stops at his extended arm calling for Paro. His fist is open. The scene blacks out. 

'A film by Sanjay Leela Bhansali' appears on screen, and you realise that he has written one of the best scenes ever in the history of cinema.

It has always amazed me how all my favorite filmmakers have used mausam so effectively to tell the story, or enhance a scene or character.

In this case, it was the autumn for Devdas and Paro, and for Gulmohar..