Deva movie review: Shahid Kapoor's flawless performance saves the day in this whodunnit cop drama

Deva starring Shahid Kapoor and Pooja Hegde is now playing in theatres near you. Directed by Rosshan Andrrews, the film is an action packed cop drama. But is it worth your time and money? Check out our movie review.

Deva, starring Shahid Kapoor, has released in theatres today (January 31). Directed by Malayalam director Rosshan Andrrews, who makes his Hindi film directorial debut with the film, Deva promises to be an action packed cop drama set in Mumbai. Along with Shahid Kapoor the film has Pooja Hegde, Pravesh Rana, Pavail Gulati, Kubbra Sait amongst others playing key roles. Shahid Kapoor has called Deva his most challenging character to date. Like all Shahid movies, expectations have been high from Deva as well. But does it live up to the hype? Read our Deva movie review to know if the film deserves your time, money and attention.

What is Deva about?
Deva (Shahid Kapoor) is a daredevil cop, proud of being a part of the Mumbai Police. He leads a fearless life, full of style and swag until one day, his dear friend, also a fellow police officer (Pavail Gulati) is killed. Deva takes on the task to investigate the murder and his senior, ACP Farhan (Pravesh Rana) agrees to give him all the freedom to find the killer. He finally cracks the case and finds the killer; however, before he is able to share the case findings officially, he meets a near fatal accident and loses his memory. He is forced to start from scratch on the case and the lies he will uncover this time will change his life forever.

Movie Review: Deva
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Pooja Hegde, Pravesh Rana, Pavail Gulati, Kubbra Sait amongst others
Director: Rosshan Andrrews
Release Date: January 31, 2025 (in theatres)

Rating : 3.5 out of 5

What is Hot?
It is Shahid Kapoor all the way. The actor delivers a superlative performance and once again reminds us why he is one of the best actors in the country right now. One could have easily gone a little OTT, exaggerating the heroism that is an inseparable part of the character Deva, but Shahid brings just the right amount of style and swag and makes it perfect. He is effortless in action sequences as well as the intense scenes and it is commendable to see how easily he pulls off the ones when he is alone in the frame and putting two and two together to solve the case. His character Deva is eccentric and there are scenes that give Shahid the opportunity to show how it is done. Not once do you feel that he has overdone it.

The film is set in Mumbai and the cinematography does a decent job in portraying the universe it is set in. The BGM complements the narrative and fortunately, there aren’t any songs forced into the story, just to do justice to having a female lead and a love angle. The song Bhasad Macha is a visual treat for Shanatics and those who are a fan of Shahid’s dance.

The casting is well thought of and the actors deliver what is expected of them, but there was scope to get more out of Pavail and Pravesh.

What is Not?
All through the promotions of the film Deva, the makers have been pressing on the fact that this is NOT a remake of the 2013 film Mumbai Police. It starred Prithviraj Sukumaran and was also directed by Rosshan Andrrews. However, the film is the same in essence, with the environment it is set in and the language setting it apart. Thankfully, it is not a scene-to-scene copy, which due to the difference in language, often sets the pacing of the film haywire. What was really a disappointment was the fact that while we were made to believe that Deva is a huge Amitabh Bachchan fan, there was nothing to establish that in the film. Pooja Hegde, who plays an investigative journalist in the film, hardly has anything to do. Her character was not fleshed out as it could have been for a cop drama treated like a whodunnit.

This holds true for other characters as well. You would actually wonder if the director was only focused on the main lead and let the rest just do their lines and go. Talking about the film’s pace, it is uneven and suddenly drops in some moments, leaving you anxious. There are also some scenes that are over before they even start and the abrupt switching are exasperating.

WATCH DEVA OFFICIAL TRAILER HERE

BL Verdict
Deva is a pure treat for Shahid Kapoor fans aka Shanatics. After the rom com Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya in 2024, the actor is back in an intense avatar and brings his A-game to this cop drama. While the film has its flaws, Shahid delivers a flawless performance and once again proves what an effortlessly versatile actor he is.