Title: Deva

Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Pooja Hegde

Director: Rosshan Andrrews

Where to watch: In theatres

Ratings: 3

Shahid Kapoor is not exactly one of the tallest men in the room. Add to that perceived limitation, his undeniable boyish charm, and one wonders how does the 43 year old manage to pull off intense characters effortlessly (Kaminey, Haider and Kabir Singh!) The key lies in the courage of conviction, his remarkable acting repertoire and his reassuring screen presence. These factors and more make Sasha grow on you with a 'towering' persona in 'Deva'. A tall frame normally comes in handy in order to look imposing, but Kapoor uses his impressive range of expressions, the swift moves and that intense gaze to his advantage to look the part that overcompensates for what he lacks in...errr inches!

Acclaimed Malayalam director Rosshan Andrrew's 'Deva' projects the protagonist as a cop whose thirst for vengeance doesn't seem to quell. He is this relentless force, absolutely unleashed, in order to set the record straight (as well as to settle the score)--ready to bump off anyone crossing his path. Dev Ambre is deliciously deadly as he goes on a rampage of sorts post the murder of a fellow police officer. The 'stop-me-if-you-can' mode makes Deva brazen, violent and dangerous to operate with.

He comes across as a brutal man with no bounds, and definitely lacks empathy, but in reality, we discover the core within that has converted his deep fears into anger (without mastering the former while mismanaging the latter).

Watch Shahid demanding full freedom to operate in order to avenge the death of his colleague--and you stay with him in his mission of finding out the inflitrator within the system. The chase is complex, complicated and sluggish. The first half is tedious and long-drawn as the events unfold with 'thehraav'. The cinematography, the crisp dialogues and equally sharp editing match the urgency of the situation, especially in the second half.

Deva is quickly seen as the cop who not just advocates, but even encourages what his naysayers term as hooliganism. When questions being posed about his style of operation (is he a cop or mafia?), he asserts sharply and surely-- I'm mafia!

The pulsating, almost eardrum-shattering, background score by James Bejoy add to the effect as Deva is on the prowl who tries to place the prices to complete a coherent picture. Written by Husain and Abbas Dalal, Bobby Sanjay and Arshad Sayed, Deva shows restraint in recalling his memory post a bike accident to solve the case.

Amit Roy's cinematography traverses Mumbai with all its complex and convoluted greys. The city stands out as a compelling character in this narrative, as the cops become an intricate and intertwining facet of the city as Identity-markers. Sreekar Prasad's editing is impressive as the film garners momentum in the second half to highlight the big reveal in the climax.

As for the performances, Shahid is intense and engaging. Watch him alternate between being restless and restrained with ease. Pavail Gulati adds the much-needed thehrav and emotional depth to the story with Pooja Hegde gets limited and abrupt exposure. All in all, Deva may test your patience if you like you action films breezy, but ultimately it is a rewarding watch given the way things unspool in the second-half only to compensate for the slow-burn of the first!