Deva Review {2.5/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Pooja Hegde, Pravessh Rana, Pavail Gulatie
Deva Movie Review Synopsis:
Deva is the story of a rowdy cop who gets entangled in a complicated murder case. The film is the official Hindi remake of the Malayalam hit Mumbai Police, which was also directed by Rosshan Andrrews himself. The story revolves around inspector Dev Ambre (Shahid Kapoor) from Mumbai Police. He is arrogant, hot-headed, violent and known for not obeying rules. But he is good at heart and takes pride in carrying out his duty as a cop, even if it means upsetting a powerful politician like Apte (Girish Kulkarni). He is also emotional towards his near and dear ones. Dev’s sister Alka (Bhawana Aneja) is married to his respected senior Farhan (Pravessh Rana). He also shares a brotherly relationship with his colleague ACP Rohan D’Silva (Pavail Gulatie). Fate brings Deva close to constable Sathaye’s daughter Diya (Pooja Hegde), who is an honest crime journalist with a newspaper. The two eventually fall in love. But Dev’s life goes through an unpleasant twist when Rohan gets killed by a mysterious killer while he was being felicitated. On top of that, just when Dev cracks the case, he meets with a serious accident.
Deva Movie Story Review:
Bobby Khan’s story is interesting in parts. Although the film is about the working of the police department through the character of Dev, it is more like a murder mystery. Of course, there have been plenty of whodunits in films and, especially, web shows in recent years. But Deva stands apart due to the angle of amnesia thrown into the mix. However, the story doesn’t culminate in a convincing way. Although the identity of the killer is a surprise, it raises a few major questions. The angle of amnesia, although interesting, is not dealt in a satisfying manner.
Bobby Sanjay, Abbas Dalal & Hussain Dalal, Arshad Syed and Sumit Arora’s screenplay is also a mixed bag. While it was a smart idea to start the story at an important juncture and then move to the flashback, what follows in the first half isn’t pleasant as this portion is too lengthy. In fact, it takes around 1 hour 20 minutes or so for the interval to arrive. The narrative in the second half also moves at a sluggish pace at times. There are also a few major questionable points. The track of the politician Apte is forgotten for unknown reasons. The romance between Deva and Diya is also half-baked. The audience doesn’t realize when the two fall in love. Also, the film is promoted as a massy entertainer but it doesn’t exactly fall in the genre. Abbas Dalal & Hussain Dalal’s dialogues are mostly conversational.
Rosshan Andrrews’ direction is impressive. He has handled a number of sequences like a pro. However, he is let down by writing.
Deva Movie Review Performances:
Deva rests on Shahid Kapoor’s strong shoulders and he doesn’t disappoint. He is outstanding and brings in the arrogant attitude of Dev in a convincing manner through his heroisms. He also switches on to a calmer state in the second half, which was the requirement of the story. Pavail Gulatie once again displays his mature acting skills. He is impactful despite limited screen time. Pravessh Rana is good in the role of Dev’s senior. Pooja Hegde is more than a typical heroine and she does well. But, as mentioned above, her love track with Dev is half baked. Meenal Sahu, as Rohan’s fiancée, is fine in a supporting role. Kubbra Sait is wasted in an inconsequential role as Dev’s junior. Girish Kulkarni once again succeeds while playing a crooked man with a touch of humour.
Deva | Official Trailer l Shahid Kapoor | Pooja Hegde | Rosshan Andrrews
Deva movie, music and other technical aspects:
Deva has an enjoyable track ‘Bhasad Macha’ by Vishal Mishra right at the start. But strangely, there are no other songs in the film, except composer Jakes Bejoy’s ‘Marji Cha Malik’, which only plays for a short duration twice in the background. This point also stops the film from being a massy affair. Jakes Bejoy’s powerful background score suits this kind of a flick.
Amit Roy’s cinematography is impressive as he captures the city in a different way. Supreme Sundar, Abbas Ali Moghul, Anl Arasu, Parvez Shaikh and Vikram Dahiya’s action packs a punch. Sandeep Sharad Revade’s production design is a nice mixture of real and rich. Niharika Jolly and Malavika Kashikar’s costumes are praiseworthy and they suit the character.
Deva Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, DEVA delivers a mixed bag. Shahid Kapoor shines with a powerhouse performance, and the direction is top-notch, elevating the film’s cinematic appeal. However, the impact is diluted by weak writing, which not only hampers engagement but also stretches the narrative unnecessarily, making it feel overly intense and sluggish. At the box office, limited promotional buzz, its urban-centric appeal, and writing flaws will significantly hinder its prospects.
