‘Deva’ Review: A Dynamic Shahid Kapoor Keeps This Half-Baked Thriller Afloat
Shahid Kapoor-starrer 'Deva' hit theatres on 31 January.
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Deva opens with a close up on the titular character (Shahid Kapoor) on a bike in a tunnel informing someone that he ‘solved the case’ and knows the identity of the ‘killer’. In an instant, his entire world comes crashing down, figuratively and literally. After a harrowing accident, presented in amateurish shots, Dev loses his memory.
Shahid Kapoor in a still from Deva.
(Photo Courtesy: YouTube)
His senior (and brother-in-law) Farhan (played by Parvessh Rana with a quiet sincerity) gives him the lowdown of the case he was pursuing. We’re introduced to an evil politician Apte and his cronies, the elusive gangster Prabhat Jadhav, and Dev’s friend Rohan D’Silva (Pavail Gulatie) who is essentially a good cop in a bad town.
As the mystery thickens, Dev struggles with a deeper dilemma – he is forced to reckon with the consequences of his pre-accident actions. Dev, like most Bollywood cops, is famous because he smashes heads and breaks bones with impunity and while this means that he constantly locks head with the big bad wolves with power, it also means that he acts with little regard for civilian life.
But Deva isn’t a film that has a sophisticated enough script to properly tackle that dilemma which is a pity considering it forms the heart of the film – it’s what sets the movie apart. The film isn’t interested in the human psyche, one of the most crucial components to a gripping thriller.
A still from Deva.
(Photo Courtesy: YouTube)
The movie’s strength, without a doubt, is a dynamic & stylish Shahid Kapoor. The script doesn’t offer him much to work with which makes some of the scenes look stitled and repetitive but it’s the scenes where we get a peek into a vulnerable Dev where the actor truly shines.
It’s obvious to anyone watching that the film pays homage to Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘angry young man’ persona. But that phrase doesn’t even begin to explain why the persona was so effective or popular among the masses.
When the way society is structured left them fending for themselves while constantly pushing them to the backfoot, these antiheroes took matters into their own hands.
Shahid Kapoor in a still from Deva.
(Photo Courtesy: YouTube)
Thematically, this matches Dev’s story, in a way – his anger also comes from a disillusionment of sorts, highlighted by a confrontation in the second half. This scene, picturised as a conversation between two friends, one born with a silver spoon and another raised in an abusive home highlights how their lived experiences have coloured their understanding of morality.
With this treatment, director Rosshan Andrrews thankfully skips the typical cop-aganda treatment and tries to dissect his protagonist’s flaws – while everyone around Dev worships him, one can’t ignore the fact that he does misuse his power, and even sees the one female officer in his team as a liability and implies that his colleague’s faith in her can only stem from them having an ‘affair’.
A still from Deva.
(Photo Courtesy: YouTube)
Rosshan Andrrews is quite a promising director, evidenced from Mumbai Police starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, a film that clearly influences Deva. This movie just seems to be overthinking things. Superb visuals are complemented well by Jakes Bejoy’s background score and A Sreekar Prasad’s mindful, astute editing.
The graphic novel stylings and colour makes for gorgeous cinema, especially with the choice locations in Mumbai the film is shot in.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the script doesn’t rise to its potential. For instance, the film introduces multiple henchmen and yes-men who throw themselves into fight sequences with Dev. Typical of a film like this and for the most part, the well shot, choreographed, and executed action sequences keep you engaged. But these interactions between the cops and everyone else around them are hollow.
Shahid Kapoor in a still from Deva.
(Photo Courtesy: YouTube)
When the entire populace of a colony unites to deter and attack, the film gives no indication of their actual motivation. Where does their disdain stem from; what led to this unwavering loyalty to a gangster? A loyalty they’re willing to risk their safety for. The words ‘police brutality’ and ‘hunger’ are thrown around but the script needed a better exploration of the systemic injustices that drive conversations surrounding crime, power, and punishment.
Even in Dev’s case, while we know where his anger comes from, why does it take the direction that it does? Why is it levelled at the people who come under his ire? Perhaps this wouldn’t be as much of a bother if the film wasn’t structured around Dev but since it is, without understanding the character, how is one supposed to form a connection with him?
Shahid Kapoor in a still from Deva.
(Photo Courtesy: YouTube)
Whether you love or hate Dev is inconsequential for the plot – what matters is if you understand him. In the film’s second half, Kapoor gets to really hone in on the character, especially in scenes where he struggles to revert back to his old self because of his conscience. Or the way doubt creeps into his otherwise self-assured persona because of the gaps in his memory. And as the actor’s performance gets more layers, so does the film, finally finding a bit of a grip.
Pooja Hegde, who stars as Special Correspondent Diya and Dev’s love interest, doesn’t get enough screen time but is effective in her scenes. Kubbra Sait, a fine actor, is underutilised.
Pooja Hegde in a still from Deva.
(Photo Courtesy: YouTube)
One of the few reasons you can’t completely brush off the film is the way the suspense is structured, with enough red herrings to keep you guessing and performances that keep the push-and-pull going. Deva is a film about morality, guilt, and culpability – all packed into one character grappling with the consequences of actions he barely remember.
But this brilliant concept is bogged down by a weak script and frustrating dialogues. The film’s closing sequence clearly sets the stage for a sequel and despite everything, you can’t help but buy into the premise….again.