Dev Tamil Movie

Feature Film | 2019 | U | Action, Romantic
Critics:
'Dev' suffers from a weak screenplay with mindless naiveties tucked in. As a result, we end up watching an aspiring romantic adventure crashing into a deep gorge!
Feb 17, 2019 By Baranidharan Sivasankaran


'Dev' - the title has an urban ring to it and gets the message out loud and clear to its intended audience. The trailer too made its share of buzz a while back sporting a "Reliance" production badge and a beeline of familiar faces in supporting roles with Karthi bringing out his city slicker image. However, nothing stood out from the movie, while one expected a stylish masala combo on the platter.


Directed by debutant Rajath Ravishankar, 'Dev' attempts to deliver a romantic tale between a free-spirited spoilt brat, Dev (Karthi) who seeks adventure in whatever he does and a laser-focused "men-hating" entrepreneur, Meghna (Rakul Preet). The movie doesn't have an antagonist per se. It's the love-and-hate relationship between the lead pair.


The story was wafer thin, and the things that made the film, in general, to fall apart were the screenplay and dialogues. However, as a character study, the movie was engaging to an extent. Dev, who believes in a free-spirited and adventurous life was a well etched out character, but asking him to take a detour at times to save a girl from the clutches of the goons and a family with a kid from dacoits were forced "star" moments that Karthi should do away with.


Rakul's character as an independent woman with acumen was refreshing. However, the conflict that arises between the lead pair towards the climax was again thrust and goes to show the director's amateur effort in compensating for the lack of a potent antagonist. Apart from these positives that were thrown at us in bits and pieces, we do not get much in terms of a solid film.


The movie serves loads of grandeur in terms of craft, locales and props. The least that Karthi could drive is an Audi sports edition and topped out with a Rolls Royce Phantom. The story demands it, and so that's fine. However, the couple cooling off their feet in a fancy glass house and sharing intimate moments made one restless after a certain point.


Adding to the misery was RJ Vignesh Kanth who makes his full-time entry into films. His formal long-winded speech and rant don't fit the film language. His mannerisms and character were irritating. Him dating with a white girl in a span of a song and then boozing over her separation was mindless. Also, him springing an idea for Karthi to seek for a girlfriend was another stupid moment.


Amrutha Srinivasan has also made her entry into a more significant supporting role. As Karthi's side-kick she was perfect with her lines. Though she couldn't create an impact, she represents the new-age of refreshing "companions" for the lead artists. However, she too had a stray moment where she feels for her estranged father. And, then once for all, we do not know what happened to that. Its put in status quo like so many other loose ends in the movie.


Harris Jayaraj, the "DJ" has dished out his trademark scores. He doesn't seem to have reinvented even after a brief hiatus. Anyway, "Anange" was peppy and was soothing to the eyes mainly because of the foreign locale and groovy movements.


The movie, after so many mindless moments and wavered screenplay, had no idea where it was headed when it started and where it ended up. Apart from the few niceties that happened in terms of characterisation, the movie is a bumpy desert ride under scorching heat on a camel. Would you risk one?

Baranidharan Sivasankaran

   

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