Deva: a homophobic though brilliant adaptation anchored by a never-before Shahid

I seriously wanted to dislike Rosshan Andrrews' adaptation of his Malayalam film Mumbai Police for what the writers have done to the original in the second half.

- SUBHASH K JHA

I seriously wanted to dislike Rosshan Andrrews' adaptation of his Malayalam film Mumbai Police for what the writers have done to the original in the second half. A key gay character's dark secret has been completely wiped out and replaced—and here comes the surprise—replaced by a much more profound dilemma of social approbation and individual conscience.

There is a defining sequence in the second half where the untameable cop Dev Ambre (Shahid Kapoor) tells his copy-buddy Rohan D'Silva (Pavail Gulatie) why he did what he did. It is the moment that will be flashed on screen if and when Shahid Kapoor gets a Lifetime Achievement Award.

It is strange and saddening how most fellow critics have missed the combustive, compelling adaptive modes applied by screenwriter Bobby-Sanjay along with Abbas Dalal and Hussain Dalal, Arshad Syed and Sumit Arora into the distinctive invigorating Hindi adaptation.