New Delhi

A certain mindset is required to enjoy Devara: Part 1 fully. Headlined by Jr NTR, who appears in a double role in the film, Devara celebrates men and their masculinity in a true sense. The men here are heroic, protectors, custodians of law and even villains. All wield power, trained to fight, seek revenge and protect the land and their people. It is also a film that showcases Jr NTR in all his glory- as an action hero, brooding, selfless and righteous who doesn't get swayed easily- even if a scantily clad, seductress Janhvi Kapoor dances around him. 

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Written and directed by Koratala Siva, Devara has Jr NTR as the hero and Saif Ali Khan as the antagonist. The film opens in 1996 - a month before the Cricket World Cup when Mumbai Police get a tip-off that dreaded gangster Yeti may cause mayhem during the tournament.

A team of cops reach a coastal village in Maharashtra that has had a gory past. Singappa (Prakash Raj) tells the cop that looking for the gangster is not going to be easy. The story then travels back in time, where Devara (NTR), Bhairava (Saif Ali Khan) and others live in a coastal village where the men take contracts to loot and plunder ships carrying arms and ammunition mid-sea. All the men of this village are trained warriors and can take on coast guards in combat. During one such plunder, they are caught by the coast guard. Certain incidents on the ship, with the villagers fighting the coast guard lead to a change of heart for Devara who bans loot and plunder in the village. Since he is a leader of sorts, most agree - even though reluctantly. 

However, during a festive night in the village, Devara goes missing but vows to protect the village from a distance and be a watchdog and not let anyone go back to plundering at the sea. 

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Devara's son Vara (NTR again) grows up with a strikingly different personality from his father. While Devara was known for his bravery, his righteousness, Vara is often mocked for his shortcuts, and lack of leadership skills. Since Devara's body was never found, his family still awaits his return. Meanwhile, Bhairava trains young boys for his agenda and takes revenge from Devara whenever he returns. But does Devara return? And reunite with his son Vara who has turned out completely different from his father. 

What works

Devara Part 1 is Jr NTR's 30th film and it presents him in all his glory. He plays a double role which ably showcases all his talents. NTR flexes muscles, dances, romances, and performs action stunts with absolute ease. It is a story that revolves around him and he delivers to his part. His portrayal of Devara is larger than life- typical to films of this genre in the South Indian film industry. Complementing him is actor Saif Ali Khan who makes his Telugu debut with the film. Khan has by now, aced the role of playing the antagonist in multiple films. While the characters he plays are all in the shades of grey, Khan does manage to make them all look different in film after film. His Bhairava is a man who has grown resentful over some time and who now knows nothing but revenge. 

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The film's first half is promising with multiple mid-sea action sequences. Lots of action and a cohesive storyline. The camera work by R Rathnavelu is also impressive, who paints the screen in shades of golden and brown- giving it a rustic, vintage feel. 

What does not work

The film, however, loses steam in the second half and one gets impatient by the time the story reaches its climax. It, of course, ends on a cliffhanger and makes way for part 2 but the second half is so underwhelming that the ending doesn't leave you curious much. 

While the story presents the men as brave fighters, the women are almost like props. Some are there to further the narrative - like Zarina Wahad as Devara's mother and Shruti Marathe as his wife. Then there is Janhvi Kapoor as Vara's love interest who comes in the second half for exactly four scenes and 1 song. Kapoor, who has in a short period, made a mark in Bollywood with author-backed roles, falls into the formulaic role in her south debut. 

It is slightly alarming to see Kapoor play a very sexually charged woman who simps her future father-in-law slightly and constantly talks about getting turned on by men who flex muscles. I mention the term alarming because Kapoor has already done female-centric films like Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Mili, and the recent Ulajh in Bollywood. All presenting strong women on screen. To see her in Devara in a character that completely objectifies her is slightly unsettling. 

Final verdict

Devara Part 1 works only because of Jr NTR and to a certain extent Saif Ali Khan's performance. The film has a cohesive storyline- even though the implementation, especially the writing in the second half loses steam and becomes a bit boring. It is strictly for fans of South Indian action potboilers and fans of Jr NTR.