Prithviraj Sukumaran‘s 2013 psychological action thriller Mumbai Police in Malayalam was a huge success. Now, the story has been remade in Hindi with director Roshan Andrews, who directed the Malayalam version, also helming Deva in Hindi. Read our review here.
Story: Dev (Shahid Kapoor), a Mumbai inspector, leads a team struggling to capture gangster Prabhat Jadhav (Manish Vandhwa), with casualties mounting in each encounter. Journalist Diya (Pooja Hegde) suspects a mole in the police force leaking information to Jadhav. After Jadhav is caught, he accuses Dev’s friend, Rohan de Silva (Pavil Gulati), of betrayal, leading to Dev receiving a gallantry medal. Soon after, Rohan is killed, and Dev investigates. When he uncovers the killer’s identity, an accident erases his memory. Will Dev recover his past and solve the case? Watch the film to find out.
Performances: Shahid Kapoor delivers a solid performance in his role, similar to his past work in Udta Punjab, Kabir Singh, and Haider, showing his versatility as an actor. Pooja Hegde, on the other hand, has limited screen space, and her dance steps in the film’s early song are reminiscent of the moves in the song “Alamatti Habibo.” The rest of the supporting cast performs adequately.
Technical Aspect: Amit Roy’s cinematography, however, effectively captured the “grey” tone of Mumbai. The music is acceptable but not extraordinary. Roshan, as a director, handled the twists in the story effectively, keeping the audience engaged. With strong support from cinematographer Amit Roy and music director Jakes Bejoy, the film progressed smoothly. Director Roshan Andrews failed to make significant changes to the story apart from removing the gay element. For audiences who have already watched Mumbai Police or Hunt, Deva offers nothing new.
Analysis: After the release of Mumbai Police, both the audience and media were under the impression that Shahid Kapoor was remaking the Malayalam film, especially since the director for both versions was the same. However, the Deva team insists that their film is not a remake. The romantic scene between Shahid Kapoor and Pooja Hegde had to be removed, leading people to think that the film wasn’t a direct remake. However, the truth is that Deva is indeed a remake of Mumbai Police.
Roshan Andrews did a good job until the interval in presenting a fresh take on the story, despite it being originally released 12 years ago in Malayalam. This success can be credited largely to Shahid Kapoor’s performance. His short haircut and different attitude fit the character well.
However, after the interval, the real issues with Deva became apparent. The screenplay follows the same pattern, making the story feel repetitive and boring. Even Shahid Kapoor could not do much to breathe new life into the film, as the scenes remained predictable and routine. Director Roshan Andrews, who portrayed the hero as a gay character in the Malayalam Mumbai Police, has made some changes in Deva mainly the removal of the gay aspect.
Verdict: Overall, for those who haven’t seen Mumbai Police, this might seem like a different action and investigation drama. However, for those who have, the remake feels unnecessary. Deva aims to prove that Shahid Kapoor can handle any kind of role or emotion, but unfortunately, it falls short of expectations.
Bottom Line: Falters in execution
Rating : 2/5
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