By V.S. Rajapur
Film: Devaru; Director: Sadhu Kokila; Cast: Vijay, Pragna, Ashish Vidyarthi, Ravi Kale, Shobharaj and Rockline Venkatesh; Music: Sadhu Kokila; Rating: *1/2

Sadhu Kokila churns out a below average fare in “Devaru”, which is a remake of Tamil film “Thalainagaram”.

Like the original, Vijay-starrer “Devaru” is also a run-of-the-mill underworld film that has a predictable storyline. The comedy sequences, which added strength to the Tamil film, comes a cropper in the Kannada version mainly because Sadhu overacts. Surprisingly, even the dialogues by a good writer like Tushar Ranganath fall flat.

The good part of this tediously boring film are Vijay’s acrobatics in the stunt sequences.

Just 10 minutes into the film and you will realise that everything has gone wrong with “Devaru”. By the time the movie reaches the interval point, it could well leave audience yawning. The latter half picks up and Vijay has also tried to underplay his role. The climax fight scene has been well conceptualised and shot.

Sadhu Kokila hasn’t done a good job in music composition and the song picturisations don’t much that of recent Kannada hit songs.

In the film, Devaru is a trusted henchman working for Ramireddy, a local don. Devaru has been used in many shady dealings of Ramireddy, who also has connections with a cunning local minister. Devaru’s friend Nandi is killed by Ramireddy’s friend in a game of one upmanship in the gang. Devaru then snaps ties with Ramireddy and tries to reform.

But a new greedy inspector wants Devaru to continue with his criminal activities. He resists all pressures to return to the life of crime, but circumstances make him take up criminal activities again. Finally he kills all the villains, but falls prey to the designs of a trusted lieutenant.

Vijay has done his best to salvage his film. He is very good in action sequences and his acting in second half is also effective. Pragna acts well in the emotional sequences and adds to the film’s glamour quotient.

Ashish Vidyarthi, Ravi Kale and Shobharaj have carried their roles quite effectively.

“Devaru” ends up as below average fare. At the most, you can see it once for Vijay.