Debipaksha (TV series)

Debipakshya
Genre	Drama Romance Crime
Written by	Ashita Banerjee Sayan Chowdhury
Directed by	Babu Banik
Starring	Indrajit Bose Geetashree Roy Chandrayee Ghosh Aditi Chatterjee Manishankar chaterjee Bharat Kaul
Opening theme	Debipakshya
Country of origin	India
Original language(s)	Bengali
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	118
Production
Producer(s)	Snigdha Basu Sunny Ghosh Roy
Running time	22 Minutes
Production company(s)	Acropolis Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.
Release
Original network	Star Jalsha
Picture format	576i SDTV 1080i HDTV
Original release	January 30 (2017-01-30) – May 28, 2017 (2017-05-28)
Chronology
Preceded by	Bodhuboron
Followed by	Kundo Phooler Mala
External links
Website	www.hotstar.com/tv/debipakshya/12933

Debipakshya (Bengali: দেবীপক্ষ) is a Bengali mega-serial aired daily on Star Jalsha from 30 January 2017 at 6:00 PM.

Loosely based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's 1917 novel, Devdas, Debipakshya is the journey of Surya (Indrajeet Bose)^[1] and Devi (Geetashree Roy)^[2] from childhood sweethearts to sworn enemies.^[3]

Plot

Inseparable in their childhood years, Surya(indrajeet bose) and Devi(geetashree roy) are the best of friends. Surya is the eldest grandson of Adhishwar Dev Burman (widely known as Dadaji), who is the leader and Godfather of a seemingly Utopian community of Surajgarh. Devi is the daughter of Shivaji Chowdhury, one of the founders of Surajgarh and Dadaji’s confidant and adviser.

Disapproving of Surya and Devi’s close friendship, Surya’s stepmother, Rajeshwari sends Surya abroad for further studies when they are still children. Surya promises to return for Devi one day, and Devi vows to wait for him. When Surya returns fifteen years later, Surajgarh rejoices for the return of their prince, but Surya goes to the temple where he believes Devi is waiting for him. The childhood friends reunite and are attracted to each other.

Rajeshwari is displeased by their closeness, fearing Devi’s influence on Surya will result in her loss of control over her son, and therefore the empire. Surya is the rightful heir to their flourishing business, and the throne of Surajgarh, but Rajeshwari, referred to as Amma by everyone, is greedy and wishes to usurp all of Dadaji’s wealth and power. Dadaji unknowingly becomes an obstacle in her plans, when he announces Surya and Devi’s wedding at the annual Ma Jagadamba festival at the temple. He understands that Surya and Devi have feelings for each other, and he takes the opportunity to unite his family with that of his best friend, Shivaji’s.

While Surajgarh celebrates, Amma pretends to accept Surya and Devi’s relationship, all the while plotting with her brother-in-law, Sanjay and his sister, Madhavi to sabotage the wedding. She convinces Sanjay and Madhavi, that Shivaji has planned to use Devi to ascend to Surajgarh’s throne.

Meanwhile, Surya discovers that his family is running a lucrative smuggling cartel. Dadaji explains the dark history of Surajgarh, which led the founders – himself and Shivaji to take illegal and drastic measures to save all the starving, dying people of Surajgarh. Now, Surajgarh is safe, peaceful and economically flourishing because of the business and Dadaji’s reign.

Surya decides that he wants to join the family business, which sends Amma into a frenzy. She tries to stop him but realises that he is quickly becoming harder to control. So, she sabotages his first assignment by covertly informing the police that a large shipment of gold is being smuggled in that night. Consequently, the police are present at the pier when the trade happens and Surya is caught in the crossfire.

Devi saves Surya’s life by removing the bullet, lodged in his shoulder. Rajeshwari feigns concern for her son and blames Devi for bringing misfortune to their family. Devi is heartbroken, but Surya reassures her that Amma does not intend to hurt her feelings. Later, after aligning Surya and Devi’s horoscopes, the temple priest, Achintya Thakur, confirms that their match is ill-fated and their journey will be full of obstacles. If Surya and Devi are wedded, then the fate of Surajgarh hangs in the balance. Amma expresses concern over this and urges Dadaji to reconsider the wedding, but Dadaji refuses, claiming that Surya and Devi will make their own destiny.

Dadaji suspects Rajeshwari’s intentions and plans to delegate all responsibility of Surajgarh to Shivaji until Surya is ready to take on the role. Amma overhears and is livid. She plots to overthrow Dadaji and take over the throne by stopping Surya and Devi’s wedding. Madhavi warns Amma that Surya’s younger sister, Anusree has feelings for Devi’s elder brother, Prabal. Amma schemes to use their affair to break Surya and Devi’s relationship.

On the morning of Anu’s birthday, Surya flirts with Devi at the temple. She reminds him that the act of dishonoring a woman in Surajgarh is punishable by death. This foreshadows Amma’s set-up to frame Prabal for molesting Anu. Prabal pleads his innocence, but cannot prove it. Though Dadaji does not believe that Prabal could have committed such a crime, he calls for Prabal's trial upon Rajeshwari’s insistence. Surya is conflicted but warns that he will not spare Prabal if his crime is proven. Devi promises to support her brother against all injustice, even if it means standing up to Surya. At the trial, Amma forces Anu to lie and Prabal is wrongfully punished. Prabal is tied to a tree and beaten up by the villagers. Later, Arna rebukes Anu for lying, and Devi decides that she will not marry into the family that caused her brother so much pain and humiliation.

Surya and Devi set about collecting evidence to prove Prabal's innocence. At the scene of the crime, they find two non-local men who have been poisoned to death. Everyone concludes that they were responsible for Anu's assault. Once this has been established, Amma insists that Devi and Surya get married immediately. Devi protests, thinking about Anu's condition, but Amma disregards her plea and convinces Devi to marry Surya as this is Dadaji's wish. Later, Amma and her brother, Ajit instigate Anu, letting her believe that Devi is a manipulative girl who wants to marry into their family for wealth and power. Anu is convinced that nobody cares about her, and her family only loves Devi as they are proceeding with the wedding even after what happened with her. She vows to put a stop to the wedding.

As the wedding festivities take place, Surya and Devi are still distant and Nadira, Rehmat's wife takes them both to their local mosque and gives Surya a sacred thread, which Devi must tie around his wrist. Nadira makes Surya promise not to take the thread off until after he has married Devi. When Amma sees the thread around Surya's wrist, she expresses disdain, but Surya refuses to remove it because he understands that it is a symbol of Devi's faith in him.

On the night of their Mehendi ceremony, Anu spills juice on Devi's hand to ruin her bridal henna. Devi is distraught by Anu's behaviour. When Surya's family see the spoilr henna, they blame Devi for being reckless. Surya takes the blame and rectifies the mistake by drawing his namesake, the sun onto her palm with henna. Later that night, while her family are sleeping, Devi sits in her courtyard, pondering Anu's bizarre attitude. She hears a noise outside of her front door, so she goes outside to check. Someone abruptly places a hand over her mouth and drags her away. Devi struggles, but the man drags her to an empty grassland. Devi pulls the shawl of her kidnapper's head to reveal that it is only Surya.

Worried, Surya tells Devi that he is going to marry her there and then. Devi refuses because they will be getting married the day after with the blessings of their elders, but Surya says that he is worried about what might happen the next day. He builds a fire, takes her hand and marries her on the spot. Amma arrives and separates them. The following day, Anu attempts to suicide because the thought that she lied about Prabal and that he must now be disgusted with her, haunts her every living moment. Her attempt fails and the wedding ceremonies resume.

On the night of the wedding, Amma has Sanjay stealthily remove Surya's holy thread from his wrist. She then tells Shivaji that she has been informed that there will be a police raid on their explosives factory. Concerned, Shivaji goes to the factory to halt Inspector Bakshi. On the way, Rehmat stops him and pleads with him to see reason as it is his daughter's wedding and Devi will not get married if her father is not present. Shivaji makes Rehmat promise to oversee that Devi's wedding happens at all costs. Rehmat leaves with a heavy heart.

At Devi's house, the wedding is underway, but Devi is restless because her father is not there. She becomes even more concerned when Rehmat tells Prabal to complete all of Shivaji's wedding duties instead of their father. Devi tries to stop the wedding, but Rehmat urges her to continue as that is what her father wanted. He vows that he will bring Shivaji back before the end of the wedding.

Rehmat goes to the police station to find out why there was a surprise raid scheduled on that night of all nights. At the police station, the head Inspector Trivedi denies any involvement, citing that Inspector Bakshi is out of town and that they have been misinformed about the raid. Rehmat gravely surmises that they have been set-up. He rushes to the explosives factory to warn Shivaji, but he arrives too late. There is a blast at the factory and Shivaji is expected to have died.

The last stage of Surya and Devi's wedding is interrupted by Amma, who cries hysterically and causes a scene. Rehmat avoids telling Devi the truth and encourages Surya to complete the wedding. Before he can touch the holy vermillion to Devi's parting, Amma knocks it out of his hand and declares that Shivaji has died in an accident.

Distraught, Devi leaves the wedding with her brothers and Rehmat in tow. Surya tries to follow her, but Amma does not let him. Later, Devi, Rehmat and Irfan bring Shivaji's dead body to the Dev Burman Manor. Upon seeing his friend's body, Dadaji falls gravely ill. Devi blames the Dev Burman family for murdering her father. Amma and Sanjay try to convince her it was an accident, but Rehmat and Devi vehemently argue that it was a conspiracy and premeditated murder. Sanjay demands evidence.Then Ajit arrives with Surya's holy thread that went missing and declares that he found it at the scene of the crime. Devarshi argues that the thread could belong to anyone, but Devi demands to see Surya's wrist. Surya hesitates, but Devi checks his wrist and discovers the thread missing. She is horrified, but Surya attempts to reassure her that he is innocent. She does not believe him and declares war on the Dev Burman family. Devi promises to get revenge for her father. She vows to ruin them all.

With Dadaji falling ill, Amma rises to power, asserting that from now on, she will be called Amma-ji. Sanjay and Madhavi are outraged by this as they both expected to gain power in the empire. Surya, on the other hand, is devastated that Devi is hurting and she has misunderstood him. Cackling, Anu comes to hurting brother and confesses to spoiling Devi's mehendi. She tells Surya and her cousins that she is relieved that Shivaji has died because now all of Surajgarh is hurting, not just her. Under the pretext of insanity, Anu carefully points out that while she and Surya have lost everything - their respect and their respective loves, Amma has gained everything: power and respect; from Amma she has become Amma-ji. Surya is conflicted about whether Anu has truly become insane or whether she is trying to convey a hidden message.

Vandana tells Sanjay that Amma has deceived him, and that Shivaji's death has marked the beginning of all of their downfall. Sanjay and Madhavi realise they've made a dire mistake in trusting Amma, but realise that they cannot stop supporting her because then Ajit, Amma's brother will gain a greater advantage.

After performing funeral rites for her father, Devi plots the downfall of the Dev Burman family. Rehmat convinces Devi to take her father's position, and Devi urges the villagers to boycott the illegal smuggling trade that the Dev Burman family does. The show ended with amma-ji going to jail for all her bad sins. The show ended on a happy note with reuniting all the family members.

Cast and Characters

The story focuses on Surya Dev Burman, Devi Chowdhury and their respective families.

The Dev Burman Family

• Surya Dev Burman (played by Indrajit Bose): Surya is the son of Pratap Dev Burman (Adhishwar’s eldest son) and the eldest grandson of Adhishwar Dev Burman. His respect for Amma influences his perception towards others, and he is unwilling to do anything that might upset his stepmother. On the other hand, he claims to love Devi enough to die for her. Despite living outside of Surajgarh for many years, he seamlessly adapts to the fabric of his hometown and displays ruthlessness and courage when ambushed by police at the pier. Surya is skilled with weapons and can ride a horse. He also knows how to play the piano. After Shivaji's murder, Devi breaks all ties with him and his family. This devastates Surya, but he believes that if his love is true, Devi will eventually return to him. The name Surya means Sun in Bengali^[4] and refers to the God of the Sun.
• Raj Rajeshwari Dev Burman (played by Chandrayee Ghosh): Raj-Rajeshwari (called Rajeshwari by Pratap and Dadaji) is the second wife of Pratap Dev Burman, though their relationship is strained. She is respectfully referred to as Amma, by all the children and subjects of Surajgarh. Though she pretends to be a dutiful daughter-in-law, she secretly plots to overthrow Dadaji to gain control of Surajgarh. She detests the entire Chowdhury family as she thinks of Shivaji as a competitor for the throne. Rajeshwari has several spies scattered throughout the empire, who bring her updates and do her bidding. She uses her brother, Ajit; brother-in-law, Sanjay and sister-in-law, Madhavi to do her bidding. She is merciless and will even kill to achieve her goals, which is proven her murder of Shivaji. This leads to her consequent rise to power as Dadaji falls sick at the news of his friend's demise. The name Rajeshwari means the Goddess Parvati or Queen.^[4]
• Adhishwar Dev Burman (played by Manishankar Chatterjee): Adhishwar is Surya’s grandfather and the Godfather of Surajgarh. He is called Dadaji by everyone and is known to be a just and fair ruler. His word is the law in Surajgarh. Under his reign, the town has peacefully flourished. Dadaji trusts Shivaji, Devi’s father more than anyone and credits him with having an equal hand in the creation of Surajgarh. Though only three of his children have been introduced, there is a suggestion that he has one more son, younger than the rest as Sanjay is often referred to as the middle brother. The name Adhishwar in Bengali means Lord Vishnu, who in Hindu mythology is the protector and preserver of the universe, responsible for restoring the balance between good and evil.
• Pratap Dev Burman (played by Surajit Banerjee): Pratap is Surya’s father and is completely detached from the world of business and politics. He is the eldest child of Adhishwar Dev Burman but has no ambition in inheriting his legacy or empire. Absorbed in arts and culture, Pratap spends his time practising classical music. He is an idealist and a loving father, who wishes for his children to live their lives with freedom and choice. Pratap also has a soft spot for Devi, whom he taught music for several years. He approves of Surya and Devi’s marriage. The name Pratap means dignity and majesty in Bengali,^[5] which is symbolised in his character and conduct.
• Anusree Dev Burman (played by Sreetama Roy Chowdhury): Anusree is Surya's younger sister, who is vibrant and lively. She has feelings for Prabal and pursues him relentlessly even though he continually rejects her advances. On her birthday, she is assaulted and the blame is imputed to Prabal. At his trial, Amma forces Anu to lie so that Prabal is punished. The name Anusree in Bengali means the Goddess Lakshmi, who is the Hindu Goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity. Anusree can also mean pretty.
• Uday Dev Burman: Uday Dev Burman is Surya and Anu’s brother. He is first mentioned in Episode 29 when Rajeshwari tells Pratima that because of her, she had the honour of becoming a daughter-in-law of the Dev Burman family and mother to Surya, Uday and Anusree. He is introduced before Surya and Devi's wedding. Uday is younger than Anu, but older than Arna. He appears to be cheerful and lively. The name Uday means 'to rise' in Bengali.^[6]
• Sanjay Dev Burman: Sanjay is Adhishwar’s younger son, and father of Debu and Arna. He appears to be mild in nature and is gullible. He is easily manipulated by Rajeshwari into believing that Shivaji is using Devi and Surya’s wedding to gain control of Surajgarh. Sanjay allies with Rajeshwari to fight for what he believes to be his birthright. He is eventually deceived by Amma. The name Sanjay is a reference to the adviser and charioteer of Mahabharata’s blind King Dhritarashtra.^[7] Mahabharata’s Sanjay has the gift of foresight, which ironically, Sanjay Dev Burman lacks. He blindly trusts and follows the words of others.
• Vandana Dev Burman (played by Pinky Mallick): Vandana is Sanjay’s wife and Debu and Arna’s mother. She is Adhishwar Dev Burman’s younger daughter-in-law. In Episode 6, Amma reveals that while Vandana may be more educated, she lacks political understanding and experience. Vandana is soft-spoken, respectful and kind-hearted. She urges Sanjay to make honourable choices rather than blindly following Rajeshwari's bidding. Vandana is also quietly confident and calculating. After Shivaji's murder and Amma's rise to power, it is revealed that Vandana had already known about Amma's ambitious nature. Vandana understood that Amma had strategically removed Shivaji and had only been using Sanjay and Madhavi the whole time.
• Devarsi Dev Burman: Devarsi (referred to as Debu) is Sanjay and Vandana’s elder child. He is the younger cousin of Surya but is older than Anusree. Debu is level-headed and practical. He is also observant and is analytical. When Amma lies about Shivaji going to the factory on his own accord, Debu corrects her saying that she had previously said that Dadaji had sent Shivaji. He is best friends with Irfan, and has a secret relationship with Irfan's sister, Amina. Devarsi in Bengali means 'the wise one amongst Gods,'^[8] This could be indicative of Debu's personality as he demonstrates skills of being a rational thinker with good judgement.
• Arna Dev Burman played by Suranjana Roy: Arna is Surya and Anusree's cousin, and Debu's younger sister. Arna is sensible and responsible. She regularly urges Anu to keep herself in check, and when Prabal is being accused of molesting Anu, Arna encourages Anu to speak the truth at the trial to save Prabal. Arna demonstrates qualities of being observant and intelligent as she is the first to determine that Anu has been forced to lie about Prabal because Anu is intimidated by Amma. A mild attraction between Arna and Irfan, Rehmat's son is hinted at. The name Arna also means the Goddess Lakshmi, who is the Hindu Goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity.
• Madhavi Dev Burman (played by Aditi Chatterjee): Madhavi is Surya's paternal aunt, whose beauty masks her dubious intentions. She is the youngest of Adhishwar’s children. Opportunistic and manipulative, she supports Rajeshwari's conspiracy to sabotage Surya and Devi's wedding. She lies at Prabal's trial by testifying that she had witnessed Prabal harassing Anu in the past when she knew that Anu was the one who openly pursued Prabal. Madhavi's husband, Sundar (which means beautiful in Bengali), is ironically not attractive physically nor by personality. He lives with his wife’s family and shows no interest in anything but food. He is lazy and is bossed around by Dadaji and Madhavi. Madhavi and Sundar have two daughters together, Puja and Manju. The name Madhavi means creeper with beautiful flowers,^[9] which is apt because she is a social climber by personality.

The Chowdhury Family

• Devi Dev Burman/ Chowdhury (played by Geetashree Roy): Devi is the middle child of Shivaji and Pratima Chowdhury. surya's wife.Though she loves Surya, she values her family’s respect and everyone’s feelings over her own, which is proven by her decision not to marry Surya because of his family's unfair treatment of her brother. Devi is musically trained by Pratap Dev Burman, Surya’s father who adores her. Devi is an artisan but is also a skilled archer. She shows determination and resolve when removing the bullet from Surya’s shoulder and again, when her brother, Prabal’s dignity is at stake. When her father is murdered and slandered by the Dev Burman family, she vows to take revenge. She demonstrates excellent leadership qualities when she takes charge of the people, motivating them to fight for the truth and the spirit of her father.Now she married to surya to take revenge on that who killed her father.The name Devi means Goddess in Bengali,^[10] and like the Goddesses Durga and Lakshmi, she is shown to be soft and kind, but protective when necessary.
• Shivaji Chowdhury (played by Bharat Kaul): Shivaji is Devi’s father and Dadaji’s most trusted adviser. He is married to Pratima, and they have three children. He is next in line to Surajgarh’s leadership but does not desire it. Just and fair, Shivaji abides strictly by Dadaji’s laws, upholding Dadaji’s every command even if it comes at the expense of his family. He is fiercely protective of Devi. Shivaji also suspects Rajeshwari’s intentions. On the night of his daughter's wedding, Shivaji is murdered by Amma and Ajit. The name Shivaji means Lord Shiva, who in Hindu mythology is regarded as a creator, transformer and destroyer of the world. He is also regarded as the destroyer of ego.
• Pratima Chowdhury: Pratima is Shivaji’s wife, and mother of Prabal, Devi and Ajay. She is the only person in Surajgarh who prays to a God other than Ma Jagadamba. Pratima is a devotee of the God of love, Krishna and believes that love conquers all evil. She does not like the violent foundation of Surajgarh but has steeled herself, knowing that there is no alternative in the town. When Surya and Devi’s wedding is announced, Pratima is the happiest because she knows how long Devi waited for Surya. She is also distrustful of Rajeshwari and is the first to realise that there is a conspiracy being hatched to frame Prabal of molesting Anu. The name, Pratima means, icon, idol or statue in Bengali.^[11] This is apt as Pratima is an iconic mother, and the ideal wife, however, is as helpless as a statue when up against Dadaji’s laws and Shivaji’s pride.
• Prabal Chowdhury (played by Raj Bhattacharya): Prabal is the reserved, dutiful elder brother of Devi and Ajay. Unlike all the other men of Surajgarh, he is mild in nature. He is respectful, responsible and conservative in values, choosing not to entertain Anu’s attentions as he is more concerned about Devi’s reputation as the future daughter-in-law of the Dev Burman family. Prabal takes after his mother and feels repulsed by violence and warfare. He disapproves of the smuggling business that Surajgarh is founded upon. He has feelings for Anusree Dev Burman but has never expressed it even though Anu frequently tries to coax him into reciprocating her advances. He is wrongfully punished for molesting Anu. After his father's death, he becomes more ruthless and willing to fight, but despite being the eldest child, he passes on his father's position to his younger sister, Devi because he believes her to be more deserving. In Bengali, Prabal means coral, or very strong,^[12] which describes Prabal’s resolve.
• Ajay Chowdhury: Ajay is playful and a lot less reserved than Prabal. He is a skilled fighter and does not show any reluctance in training for self-defense. Like everyone else in his family, he is the most protective of his sister, Devi. He is cheeky and cheerful, often finding excuses to tease his sister. After his father's death, Ajay's resolve becomes even stronger and he vows to stand by his sister to avenge their father's death. In Bengali, the name Ajay means unconquerable.^[13]
• Imlee Chowdhury: First mentioned at Devi's holud ceremony, Imlee is the youngest child of the Chowdhury family. She is yet to be introduced, though her absence is explained by the fact that she is studying abroad. In Bengali, the name, Imlee means tamarind, which could be suggestive of her personality.

The Khan Family

• Rehmat Khan (played by Anirban Guha): Rehmat is Dadaji’s loyal bodyguard, and a close friend of Shivaji. He oversees much of Dadaji’s business as well as the protection of Surajgarh. He disapproves of outsiders in Surajgarh and strictly forbids the use of technology in the town. He is level-headed and practical, looking to rationally solve problems. He is the father of Irfan, Amina and Rukhsar. Rehmat is seen to be training Prabal and Ajay in self-defence and is close to the Chowdhury family. At Prabal's trial, when Anu blames Prabal, Rehmat protests that there must have been a mistake. Rehmat means mercy,^[14] and this is ironic because the character is merciless, when he believes a wrong to have been committed.
• Nadira Khan: Rehmat’s wife, Nadira is the local healer of Surajgarh. She practices herbal and Ayurveda medicine and per Rehmat has treated almost everyone at Surajgarh once. When Surya gets shot, Nadira cleans the wound and nurses him back to health. She supports Pratima at Prabal’s trial and tries to console her. She also prays for wedded bliss for Devi and Surya. Nadira means pinnacle.^[15]
• Irfan Khan: Irfan is Surya’s friend and a valuable member of the Dev Burman business. He oversees most dealings and is proficient with weapons. Honest and hard-working, Irfan has a good sense of humour and is well-liked throughout Surajgarh. Dadaji trusts Irfan with the safety of his family, as well as the business. Irfan has an addiction to gambling, and though he seems to be good at it, his mother and sisters disapprove of his habit. Though he bets on almost anything, he will never gamble with another person’s life. He is loyal to both the Dev Burman family and the Chowdhury family. He appears to have feelings for Surya’s cousin, Arna Dev Burman. Irfan means knowledge and gratitude.^[16]
• Amina Khan: Rehmat’s elder daughter and Devi’s loyal friend. She is seen to be patient and calm, always supporting Devi and the Chowdhury family. Amina means truthful and trustworthy.^[17]
• Rukhsar Khan: The youngest of Rehmat’s children, Rukhsar is a happy-go-lucky girl, who is always smiling. Like Irfan, she is humorous and good-natured, always looking for an opportunity to tease Devi about Surya. The name Rukhsar means cheeky.

References