Devara Part 1 review: Jr NTR, Saif Ali Khan shoulder predictable action drama

Jr NTR, fondly called the ‘Man of the Masses’ by his fans, is back as a solo lead after six years, choosing director Koratala Siva’s Devara (now a two-part film) for his big moment. Devara explores the theme of fear and its impact on an entire generation. Fear is the strongest emotion in Devara, but how is this translated into a cohesive script? Let’s find out!
Set in 1996, the story follows a police officer (Ajay), who along with his team are on the hunt for criminals, Daya and Yethi. Their investigation leads them to Singappa (Prakash Raj), who lives in Errasamudram (Red Sea) and recounts the story of Devara (NTR) and Bhaira (Saif Ali Khan). Cut to the 1970s, Devara is a righteous man, who thinks twice before taking a life, while Bhaira, on the other hand, is brutal and kills without hesitation.
Devara is the leader of a group of pirates who loot cargo ships. Their contracts come from Muruga (Murali Sharma). One of their assignments makes Devara realise that he’s doing a job that claims the lives of many innocent people. When he proposes to stop robbing, he faces roadblocks from Bhaira and Kunjara (Kalaiyarasan). Although Rayappa (Srikanth) sides with Devera, he is soon blackmailed by Bhaira and Kunjara. What happens between Devara and Bhaira and how does their rivalry unfold forms the rest of the story.
Here’s the trailer:

Director Koratala Siva is coming back after a box office dud, Acharya, and he has pinned all his hopes on Devara. And, we know why as soon as we enter into the world of Devara. It’s grand, visually stunning and has a strong emotion – fear – at its core. The film revolves around fear. Devara is fearless, while his son, Vara, is fearful. The world of Devara deals with contrasting emotions. While, on paper, they make for an interesting plot, Koratala Siva stuck to a predictable story, which doesn’t let viewers soak in the emotional moments.
Devara: Part 1 has a lot going on in its long runtime of two hours and 57 minutes. It shows Errasamudram and its people (belonging to four villages), who consider weapons as God. We get a backstory, which progresses into the relationship and rivalry between Devara and Bhaira. When Devara goes into exile, we get young Vara and his fearful attitude. That’s not it!
We are presented with a boring and one-sided romantic track between Thangam (Janhvi Kapoor) and Vara. From Vara’s hidden motive to the epic clash in the climax, the film tries to pack too much into the story instead of focusing on selected high points. Too much, isn’t it? We do get a bunch of mass moments featuring Devara and Vara, which guarantees loud cheers and applause. However, it is the emotional quotient of the film that fails to hold your attention.
Visually, Devara is stunning, thanks to cinematographer Rathnavel.The carefully chosen blue and red tones effectively convey the characters’ moods and emotions. Another strong asset of Devara is the performance of Jr NTR. Playing both father and son, Jr NTR stands tall in the world of Devara. Saif Ali Khan also matches Jr NTR’s presence, delivering a convincing portrayal as the brutal villain.
Janhvi Kapoor, however, has just a cameo in Devara. Her character hardly adds any value to Devara. Hopefully, she gets to prove her mettle in the second part. The supporting characters, including Prakash Raj, Ajay and Murali Sharma, among others, deliver their bests. Composer Anirudh Ravichander’s background music elevates certain theatrical moments, but the songs act as speedbreakers in the film.
Devara: Part 1 ends on a cliffhanger just like SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali did. But, it is also a film that makes you question if all ambitious films deserve two parts.