'Devara: Part 1' review: A rollercoaster ride of action and emotion

Devara: Part 1 is ambitious, exhausting, and so loud that when it's over, nearly three hours later, you may need to pause and reorient to reality. This is both a positive and negative thing.

'Devara: Part 1'.

NTR Arts

In interviews, writer-director Koratala Siva stated that the plot takes place in the 1980s and 1990s. However, there is little in the picture, which was shot in Telugu and dubbed in four languages, including Hindi and Tamil, to support this. Devara's universe appears to be wholly imaginary, with flexible rules.

The story takes us to a secluded seaside location where four clans compete in a yearly conflict, battling each other like gladiators. The winning village keeps the weapon altar until the next tournament. The people carry lanterns and rifles, but there are no schools or hospitals. This is a warrior's area, and the sea is frequently covered in blood, earning the nickname Laal Samundar (red sea).

These groups worship weaponry, and this film worships thunderous, over-the-top heroism based on a narrow, old-school understanding of manhood. Devara, played by N.T. Rama Rao Jr., is the compassionate, noble leader of his tribe, but when necessary, he can annihilate dozens of men. His mythology began when, as a teenager, he killed a shark and hauled its body to shore. The skeleton still stands there, a testament to his superhuman power.

When it appears that his son, Vara (also played by Rama Rao Jr.), has not inherited his martial abilities, other characters quickly mock him about his heritage. A true man is clearly capable of killing, leading, protecting his family, and drinking copiously. In one scene, a male character rides a shark like a horse. At another, two men fight until morning. This is not an image that avoids exaggeration.

The women have far less fun because they are typically obedient or suffering. Mothers and wives either wait while their men go to war or grieve when they return dead. Thangam, played by Janhvi Kapoor, devotes the majority of her limited screen time to discussing marriage. Another visually challenged female character contemplates suicide because she feels guilty of being a burden to her brother. Another person is slain out of rage. In short, they are disposable. Even Devara's mother, played by Zarina Wahab, lacks emotional depth.

The film is formulaic wine in a new bottle; Siva uses VFX to create an exotic environment. The sea plays an important role, and some of the action on and within it is thrilling. However, the characters and plot lack innovation. Devara: Part 1 is structured as a story told by one character to another, similar to the KGF franchise and Salaar: Part 1 — Ceasefire, and Siva frequently employs voiceover to connect the dots since there are simply too many of them.

Throughout the first half, he keeps the various aspects going seamlessly. There is an early stand-out moment that demonstrates what these men are capable of. The practically dialogue-free action sequence benefits greatly from Anirudh Ravichander's excellent background music. The rich narrative culminates in an impactful interval block in which Devara alters the laws of the game.

But, in the second half, Siva seemed to lose his grasp. The plot falls flat, especially with the introduction of local beauty Thangam – her arc, which is meant to bring a sprinkle of comedy and romance, actually weights down the narrative. By now, there are so many grunting, hulking guys baying for blood that even attentive spectators may struggle to remember who is whose kid or who wants to murder whom.

Rama Rao Jr. and Siva's debut film together was the 2016 smash Janatha Grage, in which the actor played an environmentalist who can kill if necessary. He brings the same righteous wrath to both of his parts here, and his conviction helps to make even the most obscene scenes bearable. He also dances joyfully and skillfully. He's nicely matched by Saif Ali Khan, who has established himself as Hindi cinema's most delightful bad man. As Bhaira, he channels his Omkara performance and delivers. Even when he plays a peasant, his evil is sophisticated.

However, Devara: Part 1 suffers from a lack of meaty characters. Murali Sharma, Abhimanyu Singh, Shine Tom Chacko, and Prakash Raj, the village elder, are all on autopilot. The narrative's flatness is emphasized by a synthetic-looking blue-gray visual palette. In too many situations, it is clear where the set ends and the green screen begins. The film concludes with a predictable climactic twist. Hopefully, Part 2 will be where this story, like its primary character, flies.