Deva Movie Review: Shahid Kapoor Shines, But the Story Falls Short
Bollywood’s love for crazy cop dramas continues with Deva, starring Shahid Kapoor as a hot-headed Mumbai police officer. Directed by Rosshan Andrrews, the film strives to merge action, suspense, and drama however, it ultimately falters due to its formulaic narrative.
A Familiar Yet Promising Start
The story follows Dev Ambre (Shahid Kapoor), a fearless cop who eliminates a dreaded gangster, Prabhat Jadhav (Manish Wadhwa), and lets his best friend ACP Rohan D’Silva (Pavail Gulati) take the credit. However, during a felicitation ceremony, Rohan is assassinated. Dev sets out to avenge his friend but suffers a head injury that leads to memory loss, setting the stage for a convoluted investigation.
The film opens on an engaging note, with Kapoor’s brooding presence and stylish swagger setting the tone. Andrrews effectively captures Mumbai’s raw and bold aesthetic, avoiding cliched cityscapes in favor of its lesser-explored corners.
Where It Falters
While the first half builds interest, the second half falls with unnecessary complexity. Instead of maintaining a tight thriller, the film overloads itself with excessive twists and diluted subplots. The climax, which should pack a punch, feels underwhelming.
Pooja Hegde as journalist Diya Sathaye, though promising, is underutilized. Pavail Gulati and Pravessh Rana deliver competent performances, but their characters lack depth. Even the action sequences, though slick, don’t elevate the film beyond its routine storytelling.
The Conclusion
Deva had the potential to be a gripping cop thriller with a mass-appeal hero. While Shahid Kapoor delivers an earnest performance, the predictable script and pacing issues hold it back. It’s stylish but lacks substance, making it an average watch for action-thriller enthusiasts.
