Deva Review: A Dull Remake That Fails to Match the Original’s Grit

Yet another South remake in Bollywood; this week, it is Rosshan Andrrews directed Mumbai Police (2013), which gets a Hindi makeover with a changed climax and non-linear setting. Not a great idea, as the original Malayalam version was far more convincing even with its gay angle.

Shahid Kapur, an otherwise fine actor, seems hopelessly miscast as the chain smoking trigger happy cop, carrying forward his rough and tough character from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Kabir Singh (2019). He was brilliant as Kabir; he ain't as Deva. As for the plot, his bro type colleague is shot dead and our hero solves the murder mystery just before meeting with an accident and turning amnesiac. Oh no!!

Next, Shahid is asked to recontinue his investigation afresh. In between, he finds time to cootchie-coo with a pretty journo (Pooja Hegde, wasted) and indulge in some needless panga vanga with the local politician (Girish Kulkarni).  While the Girish Kulkarni sequence is interesting, it has no connection to the main plot. The Shahid- Pooja love story has zero chemistry.

At two hours thirty five minutes, Deva is much too long, bordering on boredom in the second half. Worse, it climaxes oh so mundanely that you end up feeling what was all the brouhaha all about. Give me the original any day!!

Ratings on some key aspects* :
1. Acting : 3/5
2. Direction : 2/5
3. Music : 2/5
4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 2/5
5. Cinematography : 3/5
6. Editing : 2/5
7. Costume Design : 2/5
8. Special Effects and VFX : NA
9. Action : 3.5/5
10. Production Quality : 3/5

#SNRating for #Deva : 2 stars out of 5.

- Sumeet Nadkarni

* - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others.

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#SNRatings barometer:
1 star = Poor
1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable
2 stars = Average
2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it
3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable
3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch
4 stars = Very good
5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding.

2025 SNRatings. 

About Sumeet Nadkarni:

Sumeet Nadkarni is a Chartered Accountant by profession and a self-styled film critic by passion. He reviews Bollywood movies and OTT releases on his popular personal blog #SNRatings. His film-related articles have appeared in leading publications in India. With a keen eye for cinematic detail and a knack for insightful critiques, Sumeet brings a unique perspective to the world of Indian cinema. Follow him for the latest Bollywood insights and unbiased film reviews. #FilmCritique #BollywoodReviewer

Also Read: Deva review