Deva Movie Review: Remake Formula Over??

When the teaser for Shahid Kapoor’s new film Deva was released, the hype was very strong. Shahid Kapoor’s Kabir Singh avatar and a South Indian Director were about to set the box office on fire. But as the release date approached, the film slowly disappeared, and Bollywood lost out on a promising 100-crore film. There are two important things you must listen to carefully: Firstly, if you want to watch Deva, take your brain along with you. The strength of the film lies in its roundabout story. If you want value for your money, you have to solve the suspense. You can’t just sit back expecting everything to be served on a silver platter. There won’t be any dancing or singing either. Secondly, this is extremely important: For those who have heard of Mumbai Police, Deva will be like sitting in an air-conditioned room and dozing off. Interestingly, this film can have two kinds of reviews, one straight zero, and the other a total hero.

Whether you’ve seen the original film or not will depend on that. Often, when a crime happens against the public, people go to the police. But have you ever thought about what happens if the police themselves become victims of a crime? And not just any crime, a shootout in broad daylight! A high-ranking police officer is shot dead right in front of other officers, at a place where he was about to receive a medal. His career was about to take off, but now there’s a bullet mark at that same spot. A perfect crime committed right under everyone’s eyes, and the person who suffered this is no longer alive. So, will his brother take revenge? Yes, Deva will. Don’t get confused by the name “Police” here is a goon in uniform. With that same devilish mind, Deva solves this strange case in no time.

Before naming the killer and avenging his brother, Deva faces a dangerous accident and loses his memory. The real shock comes the next day when another officer with the same face arrives at the same police station and starts solving the old case. Exciting, isn’t it? A fresh new concept that Bollywood hasn’t seen in a long time. Your eyes must be sparkling! But all of this will come to a halt with just one word-Remake. Yes, Deva is an A to Z adaptation of the Malayalam classic film Mumbai Police. After watching just five minutes of Deva in the theatre, you’ll understand what will happen next and how. Think about it, the power of a suspense thriller lies in its climax. If you already know the ending, how will you survive two and a half hours in the theatre? That’s the real suspense.

The biggest complaint is with the makers of Deva, why did they confuse people? Calling Deva a different original film is simply misleading. But seeing Shahid Kapoor in a manic character is like winning a lottery for everyone. Everyone knows no one can match him in such crazed roles. But what if you are forced to watch the film when you already know what the next scene will be? In such a situation, poor Shahid Kapoor can’t save the film. Some might say Shahid has done this once before by transforming Arjun Reddy into Kabir Singh and making the film a hit, but there Sandeep Ranga was there. Here, he isn’t.

This is a serious film made in police investigation style, with a very different story and an ending twist never seen before in Bollywood. Films like Deva should be made, but they should be original. I would give it three out of five stars for Shahid Kapoor’s comeback: First, the story is impressive and quite different. Second, Shahid Kapoor’s performance is so good that other actors playing police roles can learn from it. Third, especially the film’s climax, which was beyond everyone’s expectations. For those who have watched it, the negatives are: first, the remake factor, nothing new or different; second, the second half of the film is actually dull. Maybe the suspense wasn’t used properly. The investigation style might confuse many since not enough details are shown. If you decide based solely on these points, that’s your call. Otherwise, don’t miss Shahid’s performance and this very clever story.