Devara Movie Review: Jr NTR shines in a gritty and high-octane tale of bravery

Devara Review: Jr NTR is back on the big screen with a solo release after 6 years with Devara Part 1. Two years ago, he blew away our minds with SS Rajamouli's RRR alongside Ram Charan. With his latest release, The Man of Masses intends to deliver more drama, action, and entertainment. With Saif Ali Khan and Janhvi Kapoor playing pivotal roles, the stakes are definitely high. So the movie is worth your time? Keep reading this space further.

Movie: Devara

Starring: Jr NTR, Saif Ali Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, Prakash Raj

Director: Koratala Siva

Release Date: September 27, 2024 in theatres

Rating :3.5 out of 5

What is Devara Part 1 all about?

Devara is a story of bravery and fighting for the right thing. In a village named Ratnagiri, people stay together by the sea amidst the mountains. These men stand tall and fight anyone who tries to infiltrate or cause harm to their villages. However, they are also involved in the smuggling business, with Devara (Jr NTR) leading the pack. But when he finds out the destruction their action causes, he decides to put an end to such practices, even if it means standing up against his own people, especially Bhaira (Saif Ali Khan). The villagers fear Devara's wrath, which is uncontrollable and unstoppable. But every extreme action has a reaction.

What's Hot?

Devara truly engages you in a power-packed and intense first half. It focuses more on Devara, the father's story. Even someone as rebellious as Bhaira can't deal with his powerful aura and impact alone. Prakash Raj, who narrates the story to a cop, tells us why the sea got the name 'Red Sea' (due to extreme bloodshed) and why the villagers are terrified of smuggling goods from the ship, which is something they were skilled at. The first half treats us to some solid dialogue and high-octance (and slow motion) action scenes. The choreography of the fight sequences, especially the ones shot at the sea, is impressive.

The first half belongs truly to Jr NTR and his striking screen presence. He's known as a Man of Masses for a reason, as he uplifts the narrative and audience's mood whenever he is in action mode. Koratala Siva's movie keeps you intrigued, as we see the fear for Devara built in people's minds in the first half. The interval block is one of the movie's best fight sequences, which was teased in the very first teaser.

The second half focusses more on Devara's son Vara, who's nothing like his father. With Devara leaving the village to protect illegal activities on the sea, the village and the family have no one to look after. Bhaira is strategising on ways to kill his opponent, as there's no one stopping him anymore.

Anirudh Ravichander has composed a fantastic theme for Devara and it is played as a pivotal moment in the movie. The rest of the songs are okay. The VFX department has done a great job, considering the story and sea fight sequences mostly take place at night.

What's Not?

However, the second half lacks the depth we saw in the first half. While Jr NTR still shoulders the movie quite well, the narrative gets distracted by several characters and elements that could've cut short. We never see Saif Ali Khan's Bhaira embrace his wicked side completely. Janhvi Kapoor looks alluring on screen and will remind you of young Sridevi. However, we wish the makers added more scenes featuring her, as Thangam looks like an interesting character.

Watch a video on Devara

Final Verdict

If you are a Jr NTR fan and want to see him deliver an intense and action-packed performance, Devara Part 1 is a treat for you. The interval block will make you cheer loudly in theatres.