Devara Part 1 Review: Jr NTR, Saif Ali Khan shoulders predictable action drama

Jr NTR, fondly called the 'man of the masses' by his fans, is back as a solo lead after six years and chose director Koratala Siva's Devara (now a two-part film) for his big moment. Devara explores the topic of fear and its impact on an entire generation. Fear is the strongest emotion in Devara, But how does that translate into a cohesive screenplay? Let's find out!

The story is set in 1996 and is about a police officer (Ajay) who, along with his team, is on the hunt for criminals Daya and Yethi. Their investigation leads them to Singappa (Prakash Raj), who lives in Errasamudram (Red Sea) and tells the story of Devara (NTR) and Bhaira (Saif Ali Khan). Set in 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 pirate group that plunders cargo ships. Their contracts are from Muruga (Murali Sharma). During one of her assignments, Devara realizes that he is doing a job that claims the lives of many innocent people. When he suggests to stop robbing, he encounters roadblocks from Bhaira and Kunjara (Kalaiyarasan). Despite siding with Devera, Rayappa (Srikanth) soon finds himself blackmailed by Bhaira and Kunjara. What happens between Devara and Bhaira and how their rivalry develops forms the rest of the story.

Here is the trailer:

Director Koratala Siva returns after the blockbuster Acharya and pins all his hopes on Devara. And we know why as soon as we enter the world of Devara. It's gorgeous, visually stunning and has a strong emotion at its core – fear. The film is about fear. Devara is fearless while his son Vara is afraid. The world of Devara deals with conflicting emotions. While on paper they present an interesting plot, Koratala Siva stuck to a predictable story that doesn't immerse the viewer in the emotional moments.

Devara: Part 1 has a lot going on in its long running time of two hours and 57 minutes. It shows Errasamudram and its residents (belonging to four villages) considering weapons as God. We are given a backstory that deals with the relationship and rivalry between Devara and Bhaira. As Devara goes into exile, we see young Vara and his fearful attitude. That's not it!

We are treated to a dull and one-sided romantic track between Thangam (Janhvi Kapoor) and Vara. From Vara's hidden motive to the epic clash at the climax, the film tries to cram too much into the story instead of focusing on select highlights. Too much, right? We get a lot of crowd moments with Devara and Vara that guarantee 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 selected blue and red tones effectively convey the moods and emotions of the characters. Another strong advantage of Devara is Jr NTR's performance. Jr NTR plays both father and son and is at the top of Devara's world. Saif Ali Khan also suits Jr NTR's presence and delivers a convincing portrayal of the brutal villain.

However, Janhvi Kapoor only makes a cameo appearance in Devara. Her character hardly adds any value to Devara. Hopefully she can prove her skills in the second part. The supporting characters, including Prakash Raj, Ajay and Murali Sharma among others, do their best. Composer Anirudh Ravichander's background music underlines certain theatrical moments, but the songs act as pace breakers in the film.

Devara: Part 1 ends with a cliffhanger just like SS Rajamouli's Baahubali. But it's also a film that raises the question of whether all ambitious films deserve two parts.

2.5 out of 5 stars for Devara: Part 1.