Devara: Part 1 Review {3.0/5} & Review Rating

Director: Koratala Siva

Devara – Part 1 Movie Review Synopsis:

DEVARA – PART 1 is the story of a brave sea warrior. The year is 1984. Devara (Jr NTR) lives near Ratnagiri, on the Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border. He, Bhaira (Saif Ali Khan) and others are involved in smuggling goods illegally through the sea. His ancestors fought bravely against the British but after independence, they were neglected. Hence, they resorted to crime to make ends meet. Devara is well respected for his bravery and sensibility and Bhaira always felt jealous due to his popularity. The coast guard officials increase surveillance due to increased smuggling. Hence, Devara advises his villagers to avoid any such activity for a while. But when Muruga (Murli Sharma) offers them an offer they can’t refuse, Bhaira accepts it. Devara refuses to join them but gives in when his aide, Rayappa (Srikanth), advises him that his team will get killed in his absence. Devara reluctantly joins and sadly, a Coast Guard official Irfan catches them red-handed. He makes them realize that they are smuggling weapons and explosives and it is being used to create havoc in the country. Irfan also informs that these same weapons were used to kill a boy from their village recently in an ambush. Devara gets a big jolt. He makes it clear that neither will he smuggle goods nor will he allow anyone from his village to do so. Some villagers protest but Devara singlehandedly defeats them. Hence, they have no choice but to accept his order. Bhaira is enraged but he doesn’t show. He pretends to have accepted Devara’s suggestion. However, he secretly hatches a plan to kill him. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Devara – Part 1 Movie Story Review:
Koratala Siva’s story is promising. Koratala Siva’s screenplay is simple and effective till a certain point. Later, the writing goes for a toss. Koratala Siva’s dialogues and Kausar Munir’s Hindi dialogues are okay.

Koratala Siva’s direction is a mixed bag. He handles the scale and grandeur with panache. He also gives supreme mass treatment to the film and presents Jr NTR in a way that his fans would love. A few scenes will lead to claps like Devara saving the coast guard and Devara throwing the container down the hill. The intermission point is when the film goes on a high. It’s also creatively executed.

But trouble arises as soon as the second half begins. The romantic track is forced while the track of Vara (Jr NTR) is not as exciting as that of Devara. The twist is interesting but it’s also predictable. There are also jumps in the narrative and in short, it turns into a messy affair. The final scene is supposed to startle the viewers but instead, it looks like a copy of one of the biggest Pan-India hits of all time.

Devara – Part 1 Movie Review Performances:
Jr NTR rises above the substandard script and performs like a pro. As Vara, he’s not the best but as Devara, he’s terrific and sets the screen on fire. Saif Ali Khan looks menacing and gives a strong performance. He induces terror just through his eyes and body language and that’s his big achievement. Janhvi Kapoor looks stunning and gives an okay performance. Sadly, she’s hardly there for around 10 minutes and also appears only in the second half. Prakash Raj (Singappa) is dependable, as always. Shruti Marathe (Devara’s wife) leaves a mark. Talluri Rameswari (Devara’s mother) lends able support. Srikanth, Murali Sharma, Abhimanyu Singh (DSP Tulasi) and the actors playing Irfan, Padma and Pasura do well.

Devara – Part 1 movie music and other technical aspects:
Anirudh Ravichander’s music is disappointing. ‘Ayudha Pooja’ comes at a great juncture while ‘Fear Song’ is well picturized.‘Dheere Dheere’ is needlessly added while ‘Daavudi’ is missing. Anirudh Ravichander’s background score has a heroic feel.

Rathnavelu ISC’s cinematography is spectacular. Sabu Cyril’s production design is very rich. Dhanya Balakrishnan’s costumes are realistic and they are graceful when it comes to Janhvi Kapoor. Meanwhile, Aswin Mawle’s costumes for Jr NTR are stylish. The VFX is top-class and the action is mass-appealing. A Sreekar Prasad’s editing could have been slicker, especially in the second half.

Devara – Part 1 Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, DEVARA – PART 1 suffers from a weak second half but makes up for the minuses with a terrific first half, clapworthy action scenes and mass-appealing avatar of Jr NTR. At the box office, it has the potential to grow in the Hindi markets gradually. The lack of competition until October 11 can also prove beneficial.