Devil is a Telugu-language period drama film written by Srikanth Vissa and directed by Naveen Medaram & Abhishek Nama. The film has Nandamuri Kalyan Ram & Samyuktha Menon in lead roles while Malvika Nair, Elnaaz Norouzi, Vassishta Simha, Ajay, Hari Teja, Srikanth Iyengar, Satya, Ravi Varma, Ester Noronha, Mahesh Achanta, Shafi, Supreet, Edward Sonnenblick, Mark Bennington & others are seen playing important supporting characters. The music is composed by Harshavardhan Rameshwar and the film is produced by Abhishek Nama under Abhishek Pictures banner.
Story:
Vijaya, a Zamindar’s daughter, is murdered mysteriously in a village under the British Province. The British government orders Agent Devil (Kalyan Ram) to chase the murder mystery. After reaching the village, Devil learns many shocking facts related to the murder and also about an influential freedom fighter and his right hand known as Trivarna. Later Devil is given another mission named “Operation Tiger Hunt.” What is this new mission about? Who killed the Zamindar’s daughter? What is the connection between Vijaya’s murder and the new mission? Who is Trivarna? Needs to be seen in the film.
What about on-screen performances?
Kalyan Ram is a good fit for the British secret agent called Devil. This is for sure one of his best performances and another feather in his hat at trying unique scripts after ‘Bimbisara’.
Samyukta Menon once again impresses in an important role that adds weight to the overall plot. She isn’t just restricted to playing the romantic interest of the hero and coming for the songs, but her role indeed has a good character arc that is crucial to the film.
Malvika Nair shines in her role as Manimekala. Although she appears only for a few limited scenes, she leaves a fine impact with her performance. Vassishta Simha is pretty decent in his role which gets to turn the story towards the end. Elnaaz Norouzi does well in her little cameo and rocks the dance floor in her special song in the beginning.
Ajay, Hari Teja, Srikanth Iyengar, Satya, Ravi Varma, Ester Noronha, Mahesh Achanta, Shafi, Supreet, Edward Sonnenblick, Mark Bennington & all others are very good in their respective supporting roles.
What about off-screen talents?
The story by Srikanth Vissa has a good premise. The plot and the setup are interesting with a fresh backdrop. His dialogues too are neatly penned and add value to the narrative.
The screenplay by Srikanth Vissa is gripping and well-written for most of the film. Except for the initial scenes that are told at a leisurely pace and a few lag scenes in the latter half which could have been better. The way he designed the hero’s character and connected the whole murder mystery to a freedom fighter’s story is good though.
The direction by Naveen Medaram & Abhishek Nama is a mixed bag. While certain portion is handled well, with good twists in narration, there are many dull patches as well.
The songs by Harshavardhan Rameshwar are not up to the mark. ‘This Is Lady Rosy’ is peppy but the rest all are poor. But his background score is superb and lifts the film in all crucial junctures. The cinematography by Soundar Rajan is brilliant. He gives the film the much-needed large screen experience with his framing and lighting.
The edit by Tammiraju is mediocre. The film needed more trimming. Special mention to the art department that is led by Gandhi Nadikudikar. All the set work and British setups look very authentic. The production values by Abhishek Pictures are top-notch.
What’s Hot?
* Kalyan Ram’s Performance
* Interval Block & Trivarna Reveal Scene
* Background Score and making values
What’s Not?
* Lag Scenes In The Middle Portions
* Unwanted Songs In The First Half
* Dragged Out Climax Fight
* Uneven narration
Verdict: Overall Devil is a sub-par action investigative drama that is set in the British period. Kalyan Ram gave one of his best performances. There are a few intriguing twists but overall, the film needed a better flow in narration to make for a compelling watch. There is lag in both halves and the core plot get deviated here and there. Those who love investigative thriller can give it a try and the rest can explore other options.n
Telugubulletin.com Rating: 2.25/5