Dev

This Film was a real experience of what can go on inside the police force. Beautifully presented with Kareena Kapoors best acting so far made it a film to watch. The film which depicts the tortures of muslims and hindus in India was really heartfelt and the film has a message which films seldomly give.

The mistreating of hindus and especially muslims in the film really makes your eyes water. The films gives a message of justice (Insaaf) and how people should fight for their right and freedom till there last breath. Amitabh is as always a terrific performer. Not to mention the film does have some emotion and controversy between Kareena and Fardeen but we have all seen that before and it's nothing new. This is the One FILM THAT shouldn't be left out!

I was completely taken aback by watching this movie. A film like this comes once in a blue moon. This film explores the convoluted politics and conflicts between Hindus and Muslims, who are like puppets being "handled" by the corrupt national government. For the first time, I am seeing a movie whose subtext doesn't label each character as good or bad. All shades of gray are present in almost every character and in each event. Most of each character's decisions are partially justified and partly immoral, yet they all increase tensions and further flare up the fighting. Misunderstandings pile up on one another and result in absolute chaos. With each subsequent effort comes near certainty of death and destruction and a hint of optimism as the characters struggle for justice. Amongst so much violence and anarchy, I found it very interesting that the fighting's strength lied not in the muscle. Rather, the true valiant heroes were the city's women who stood up for their rights. Govind Nilhani did an excellent job directing. All the artists performed extraordinarily. Pointless songs were not forced into the movie, and the few short ones that were there further enrichened the movie. The aftermath/"ending" in this film is very realistic. It is not clear or definite by any means, but it does not need to be. Amitabh, one of the best speakers ever, gives a beautiful monologue that displays the theme of the movie: It does not matter whether we win or lose. We must be true to ourselves and not give up our struggle for the pursuit of justice.

Dev review :

'AMITABH BACHCHAN IS DEV' screamed the posters of Govind Nihalani's first film with Bachchan. They were to do Ardh Satya (1983) earlier but things didn't work out then.

Amitabh played a honest and sincere joint police commissioner (JCP) for whom law and justice is above everything else...politics and religion included!! Om Puri was his friend cum senior colleague who doesn't subscribe to this secular ideology and is particularly biased against Muslims. Fardeen Khan was cast as the educated Muslim who is misguided to become a terrorist but soon realises he is being merely used as a political pawn...Nihalani utilised his innocent face perfectly here.

Dev brings back the nostalgia of Amitabh's Zanjeer (1973) and Om Puri's Ardh Satya (1983) where both the actors played the central character of an angry young cop. It is as if the film is a continuation of these two cops after they aged...

Govind Nihalani's execution was hard hitting as ever and Dev lay bare the dirty politics behind the Hindu Muslim divide. The riot scenes were effectively choreographed and the performances were expectedly first rate. Fardeen-Kareena shared a crackling chemistry and their passionate smooches were much talked about in those days. I always loved this jodi and they invariably created a certain sparkle together in all their films including the twisty zany Fida (2004) and the over the top hammy (!!) Khushi (2003).

Surprisingly, Dev didn't achieve the success it deserved and was declared a box office flop. The audience found it overlong and those serious conversations between Amitabh and Puri over a couple of drinks made the aam aadmi bored. A pity indeed as those scenes capture the essence of communal disharmony and offers its solutions so very effectively. Unfortunately, the audience wasn't interested!!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.

Dev explores the age-old communal riots between the Muslims and the Hindus. Fardeen Khan plays a rebellious unemployed youth who is outraged by the death of his father in a violent peace demonstration. A corrupt politician takes advantage of the situation and sets Fardeen against the Hindus, telling him that an upright police commissioner played by Amitabh Bachchan was the cause of the death of his father. Therefore, Fardeen takes on the path of violence, trampling on the values of his father who taught him the lesson of non violence and peace. Dev tests a topic that has been tried numerous times in Bollywood. We know that parity exists between the Hindus and Muslims as shown earlier in Bombay but Dev lacks the novelty to carry off the topic well. I mean what new is shown in the movie that will engross viewers to be able to keep glued to their seats till the last frame?

The script of the film is so contrived. Much of the film's time is employed in developing the tensions between the two religions and the resulting violence. Amitabh Bachchan as usual is brilliant. His chemistry with Om Puri is mesmerizing as it is the first time that these two veterans have shared screen space. Fardeen Khan is and always will be a bad actor. Only can hardly see the spark of anger in his eyes and his anglicised voice only makes the situation worse. An actor like Bobby Deol or Hrithik Roshan would've made a much greater impact in the role of an angry young man. The only actor who puts her best effort in an otherwise boring movie is Kareena Kapoor. I always wondered whether this girl can ever be big in this industry. After Chameli, Kareena proves once again that she has what it takes to be a commanding personality in Bollywood. Her emotional scenes in Dev truly stand out, especially the scene where she openly points out a corrupt cop responsible for the death of her family in the riot. Om Puri is in his terrific form once again. Rati Agnihotri fulfills what she has to do in her short role. Amrish Puri had nothing to do.

Overall, Dev is a one time watch! I give it 3.5/10.

Well, there are a lot of movies that have been made about the Hindu-Muslim conflicts in India, and this is one of them. What is refreshing is the honesty some film-makers put into their stories - something John Matthan started with 'Sarfarosh'. 'Dev' is perhaps the most open about the issue.

The story is about an honest cop, Dev (sounds clichéd, but is actually much more than just that!), who just believes in doing his duty. Various factors hamper his 'mission' in life - factors which all of us can relate to, such as others' ambition, greed for power, skewed ideologies and plain sycophancy. I'm sure many have faced these at our places of work! It is this basic story, set into the current Hindu-Muslim situation in India - references to Gujarat are made, the police is hand-in-glove with politicians instigating violence etc etc. Various layers are added, in the form of personal loss to the good guy (and the bad guy!), misguided youth (a very well managed sub-plot, which is seamlessly integrated into the main story) and the inevitable romance (also well integrated into the story)!

The scripting is brilliant to say the least. With Dev (Bachchan) & Inder (Om Puri) on opposite sides of the fence on the issue of Muslims in India, their discussions are frank, open and thought provoking. (How well both of them acted is something I shall get into a little later!) This is an issue many of us would have debated with someone or the other at some point in time. All those arguments are brought out into the open - more frankly, candidly and clearly than ever before. All the exchanges are most thought provoking. Both sides feel fully justified in their stand on the issue, and for a long while, the viewer is left to choose the side he/she prefers. But then, Nihalani finally shows us where he stands, as the story unfolds further.

Nihalani really works his magic here. He goes back to his Tamas days, when Om Puri carried his mother on a push cart ('thela'). Here, he has Fardeen doing the same with Kareena, in an almost identical situation. He also re-visits the famous Banquo's ghost scene from Macbeth. Exceedingly well done!

Amitabh Bachchan stupefies me. He has totally re-invented himself as an actor. The angry young man is anything but that now! 'Young' went quite a few years ago (he's a grandfather now, for god's sake!), and the anger has given way to a smoldering frustration. He no longer raves and rants like he used to (it was the need of the hour when he did that). Here, he gives a truly natural performance - he comes across as just another guy, dwarfed by the system yet refusing to give in to it. He carries on from where he left off with 'Khakee'.

Om Puri is excellent as usual. It was 'paisa-wasool' all the way whenever Amitabh and Om Puri shared screen time together! Rati Agnihotri plays a small role, and fits the character well enough. Kareena is very attractive in a plain-jane look. Fardeen Khan seems to be in the industry only because of his lineage, and attractive looks. He is clearly mis-cast, as he seems to have been in every movie that I have seen him in so far. I wonder if there will be an Indian re-make of 'Mannequin' where he can play title role! And only the title role - the come-alive character would need expressions!

Kudos to Nihalani to bring out new and unknown faces - Kareena's friend is especially good. Unfortunately, I do not know the actress' name... Ehsaan Khan, though decent, resorted to over-acting in emotionally charged scene. I'm sure he can improve over time.

All in all, this is a very good movie and it is the script and the acting which really carry it through!