Deva Review: Shahid Kapoor’s performance elevates this middling action thriller
Deva Movie Rating: 2.5 Stars
Watched Deva movie in Hindi in Cinema. Let’s focus on the complete details, story, positive/negatives and at last my personal view on this movie.
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Pooja Hegde, Pavail Gulati, Pravessh Rana, Kubbra Sait and Manish Wadhwa
Director: Rosshan Andrrews
Release Date: 31st January 2025 in cinema
Story: Movie begins when inspector Dev Ambre (Shahid Kapoor) calls his boss DCP Farhan Khan (Pravessh Rana) to declare that he has solved a murder case and knows the identity of the killer. However, immediately after, he suffers a bike crash which leads to amnesia. Dev wakes up with no memory of himself or the case he was working on. The narrative then oscillates between the present, where Dev has 15 days to solve the case he’s forgotten.
Flashback portions reveal his past in which Dev is a rebellious and intense police officer, 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.
He is in the relationship with journalist Diya Sathe (Pooja Hedge) who told him that there might be a mole in the force who is going one step ahead to inform criminals about the police activities and investigations. When his friend ACP Rohan D’Silva (Pavail Gulati) mysteriously murdered in the middle of a Police investiture ceremony in broad daylight. Je
After partial recovery, he is, therefore, unable to recall the name of the murderer. He revisits the investigations and finally reveals the killer’s name and motive. Will Dev solve the case? Who is responsible for Rohan’s murder? Who tried to kill Deva? Watch the movie to find out.
Positives
1. Performances
2. Cinematography
3. Background Music
4. Direction
5. 1st half
Negatives
1. Length
2. Story
3. Climax
4. Remake
5. Uneven Screenplay
Durgesh Tiwary’s View: When I watched the trailer of this film planned to watch this movie in Hindi in cinemas on release day as loved the trailer. A rebellious and abrasive cop investigates a murder case but suffers memory loss after a major accident. As he retraces his past, relying only on his muscle memory, he discovers some unsettling truths about his department and himself.
Deva is inspired by Malayalam film Mumbai Police and Telugu film Hunt. The film’s first half focuses on building the backdrop of the film and the characters world, keeping the pace slow yet engaging. The dynamics between Dev and his friend Roshan D’Silva slightly overstretches, but their collective pursuit of powerful mafia dons keeps the momentum alive. As the mystery thickens in the second half, the tonality shifts from action to dark and intense emotions and mood. Dev struggles to navigate his world while dealing with memory loss, turning the movie into a slow burn. However, the well-maintained suspense ensures you stay invested. Background score is a banger, particularly when paired with the action sequences, giving the film a raw and intense edge. The cinematography captures the grittiness of Mumbai effectively, immersing the audience in its chaotic yet thrilling atmosphere. Shahid Kapoor does an extraordinary job in the title role. If his performance is intense, his action scenes are thrilling, and his dances are just too terrific and graceful. His portrayal of Dev before the memory loss (Dev A) and after (Dev B), showcases his range as an actor—his rugged persona intermittently resurfaces within the milder, confused version of himself.
One of Deva’s biggest flaws is its uneven pacing, which should have been corrected at the edit table. Also, why cut out the best parts of the original and keep everything else the same? Dev’s childhood hardships and his motivation to become a cop to arrest his abusive father are referenced multiple times but never fully explored. 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. Overall, movie could have been a great massy entertainer, but it follows a predictable course making the film feel and look very familiar. It is a commendable slow-burn thriller with its heart in the right place. Its slow pacing and misleading marketing might not appeal to everyone, particularly those looking for a fast-paced action movie. My view on this movie Time Pass Only if you are Shahid Kapoor fan.
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