Deva Movie Review: Like any Mallu, I have seen Mumbai Police, the original version of this week's Hindi remake, the Shahid Kapoor-starrer Deva, and I apologise if I end up comparing them. It's hard to switch off the part of your brain that remembers details about the original movie when watching a remake, constantly wondering, 'Did the original do it better?' and the answer, unfortunately for the remake, is always affirmative. ‘Deva’ Movie Review: Netizens Impressed by Shahid Kapoor’s Cop Avatar, Laud the Actioner Co-Starring Pooja Hegde!

Well, Deva isn't a complete adaptation of Mumbai Police. Even though both films are directed by Rosshan Andrrews, creative liberties have been taken with the original screenplay (by Sanjay-Bobby) to adapt it to a Bollywood milieu, including altering the big twist. Despite four new writers (Abbas Dalal, Hussain Dalal, Arshad Syed, and Sumit Arora) coming on board, Deva feels like a watered-down version of Mumbai Police that doesn’t quite stick the new landing.

Dev Ambre (Shahid Kapoor) is a trigger-happy cop who disregards rules, leads with brutality against criminals, and would risk his life for his friends. His disdain for authority is so extreme that he neither wears a uniform on duty nor a helmet while riding his bike. If only he had heeded the disclaimer on screen about wearing a helmet, perhaps he wouldn't have lost his memory in a poorly shot accident. Also, someone please let me know where I can buy the earbuds Dev uses in that scene - not only do they stay in his ears, but they also manage to capture conversations so perfectly, even when he's speeding through a tunnel.

Watch the Trailer of 'Deva':

Before the accident, Dev was investigating the murder of a fellow cop who was sniped at a commemoration ceremony. Just before the accident, he called his senior, Farhan (Pravesh Rana), to reveal that he had solved the case. After the crash, Dev loses all memory, including of himself, but retains his intellect and skills. This prompts Farhan - who is also his brother-in-law - to instruct him to solve the case again, without letting anyone know about his memory loss. Whether Dev manages to crack the case again forms the rest of the story.

‘Deva’ Movie Review - Shahid Kapoor Shines

The cleverest thing about Deva is perhaps its title. Why name the movie Deva when the character is called Dev? If you’re a Mumbai Police fan, you might remember Anthony Moses - A and Anthony Moses - B. Now you get it? So we have Dev-B investigating what Dev-A had already uncovered. The first half spends considerable time establishing Dev-A’s rebellious attitude, which works in parts, mostly because Shahid Kapoor excels in mass-appeal scenes. You simply can’t ignore the energy and swagger he brings to the role - even if Prithviraj Sukumaran still delivered a superior performance in the original - especially in the “Bhasad Macha” song, the action sequences or when he confronts an arrogant politician (Gireesh Kulkarni).

A Still From Deva

I also appreciated the filmmakers shooting in real Mumbai locations, lending authenticity to the narrative. However, some scenes betray obvious green-screen backgrounds, which feel jarring.

‘Deva’ Movie Review - How The Remake Pulls Off Its Changes

Compared to Mumbai Police, Deva incorporates several changes to make it feel different. The film glorifies Dev’s underhanded actions as a cop, a staple in Hindi cinema, but one I hoped would be subverted here. The original did this effectively, showing how Anthony Moses-B was horrified by his former self’s brutality. I waited for something similar, but while Dev-B is tamer than Dev-A, there’s a moment where he beats up a couple of people - and his boss gleefully exclaims, “That’s the Dev I was waiting for!” If the original critically examined the protagonist’s problematic behaviour, including his misogyny, Deva glosses over these flaws in the 'mass'-lighting of the protagonist.

A Still From Deva

Dev’s friendship with fellow cop Rohan (Pavail Gulati) also sees some changes. This time, they’ve been friends since childhood, though their dynamic remains largely the same - Rohan faces ridicule from his affluent family for becoming a cop, while Dev acts as his protective guardian. As in the Malayalam film (where Jayasurya played the part), their friendship is the movie’s emotional core, which is clearly lacking in the forced and rushed romantic subplot between Dev and Disha (the film isn’t even clear on when they started hooking up).

A Still From Deva

The introduction of a new character, Pooja Hegde’s Disha, ensures that Deva doesn’t follow Mumbai Police to the same conclusion. This initially intrigued me - I was curious about what the big reveal would be here (not the culprit, but rather the motive behind the crime). Unfortunately, within two scenes of Disha’s entry, the reason became obvious. From there, I was just waiting for the movie to plod along to its predictable conclusion. The investigation sequences in the second half lack energy, and even Upendra Limaye’s cameo (playing Riyaz Khan’s role from the original) doesn’t help, especially with the crass lines given to him. Shahid Kapoor’s Underrated Performances: Ahead of ‘Deva’, Check Out Actor’s 5 Overlooked Roles and Where To Watch the Movies Online.

‘Deva’ Movie Review - The New Twist Feels Weak

So how does the new twist work in the remake? When Mumbai Police was released in 2013, it was praised for its bold and shocking reveal. However, in 2025, some now criticise the twist for being problematic, particularly regarding Jayasurya’s character’s reaction to the revelation. That said, the original’s twist made sense in the context of a character known to preen his hypermasculinity and his need to keep a secret. It also doesn't help that Malayalam Cinema and even Bollywood has become much more progressive with those themes.

A Still From Deva

So the makers had two ways to go. Either improve upon the circumstances that make the shock twist less problematic or go for a different but better twist.

Here, the altered twist feels, for lack of a better word… lame. It isn’t mind-blowing, and it also makes you feel like the filmmakers didn't dare to take a bold route. Instead, they settled for a far less compelling shock factor. This is made even more discordant by the fact that the murder victim is depicted as forgiving of the culprit, which makes no sense given what the killer has done. Which makes you wonder - why even go for this remake then if you had to water down the USP of the original movie?

A Still From Deva

Even though the screenplay is highly inconsistent, one thing remains solid: Shahid Kapoor’s performance. While he is decent as the amnesiac Dev-B, Shahid truly shines as the boisterous, roguish Dev-A, high on swag and energy. He is particularly impressive in the scene where he defends his actions before his friend.

Pooja Hegde doesn’t have much to do besides being a forced love interest and a plot device to signal where the film is heading. Pavail Gulati is quite good as the mild-mannered Rohan, especially in his speech scene and a third-act confrontation. Pravesh Rana is fine as the supportive superior. Kubbra Sait is wasted.

‘Deva’ Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Deva lacks the depth and impact of Mumbai Police, failing to fully capitalise on the potential of its subversive storytelling. While Shahid Kapoor’s performance and some well-shot sequences elevate the film, the diluted screenplay and underwhelming twist make it an utterly inconsequential remake.

Rating:2.0

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 31, 2025 02:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).