Director: Koratala Siva
Cast: Jr NTR, Janhvi Kapoor, and Saif Ali Khan
Rating: 2.5/5
Koratala Siva suffered a major setback in 2022 when ‘Acharya’ flopped at the box office and received negative reviews. Many expect the filmmaker to bounce back with his latest release ‘Devara’, which hit screens today (September 27) as it reunites him with Jr NTR after the well-received Janatha Garage.
So, did Tarak’s first film after ‘RRR’ live up to these expectations? Well, not quite!
What’s Devara About?
‘Devara’ centres of titular character, played by Tarak, as he rules the seas and strives to defeat the forces of evil. One day, he disappears after a bloody confrontation with some enemies but promises to return when whenever evil rears it’s ugly head. We are then introduced to Vara (Jr NTR), his son, as he tries to protect his family while steering clear of his father’s legacy.
Promising Plot, Weak Execution
The basic plot has pretty much everything, right from conflict to scoop of romance, that one a mass movie.it, however, fails to reach the standards set by Koratala Siva for with his previous films as the screenplay isn’t as upto the mark.
The director takes his time to build the film’s world. His approach to world-building, sadly, isn’t as compelling as the one Prashanth Neel used in ‘Salaar’. The Prabhas-starrer, much like ‘Devara’, featured multiple characters and explored the dynamics between them. Despite the complex narrative it featured an intense and intriguing first half that kept fans one the edge of there seats.
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Unfortunately, this isn’t the case with ‘Devara’. Its first half feels slow and stetched. There are a few a good elevation scenes and fight sequences here and there but the overall impact could have been a lot better. Jr NTR’s entry sequence may appeal to his die-hard fans but the wow factor is missing.
The second half is more compelling than the tepid first one. Jr NTR’s scenes with Janhvi Kapoor work relatively well and add some breeziness to the narrative. Similarly, the festival fight sequence has come out well and proves to be a good watch on the big screen.
There is also a pretty solid twist towards the end, which adds a new layer to the plot. The final scene, however, feels underwhelming.
The director also tries to add a scoop of the “Amma sentiment’ to ‘Devara’ but the subplot makes no impact. The underwater fight scenes are difficult to follow, which dilutes their effect.
Jr NTR Rises Above Missing Screenplay
Coming to the performances, Tarak plays both roles with ease. His body language is spot on the action scenes. Saif Ali Khan is treat to watch and leaves fans spellbound with his biting dialogue delivery. That said, his character’s arc feels incomplete.
Janhvi looks glamourous but gets virtually no scope to perform.
The supporting cast, which includes the likes of Prakash Raj and Srikanth, serves its purpose.
The music, composed by Anirudh Ravichander, is passable with Dheere Dheere being the puck of the lot. The cinematography could have been better especially in the underwater sequences.
To sum up, ‘Devara’ isn’t an unwatchable mess but it doesn’t have enough highs to be called a compelling mass movie.
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