Deva box office collection: Shahid Kapoor’s cop thriller off to a modest start

Dubai: Shahid Kapoor’s latest action thriller, Deva, clocked a modest

26, 067 admissions, earning Dh1.2 million in the UAE box-office.

According to reports, the film also did brisk business in its home market, India and saw a slight surge at the box office on its first Sunday, collecting approx. Dh3 million (Rs7.15 crore) on day three.

The Rosshan Andrrews directorial has now amassed approx Dh8 million (Rs19.05 crore) in total in India, according to Sacnilk.

Our review posted by Gulf News saw it being given 3.5 stars.

In Deva, Kapoor plays a cop who operates in the grey zones, with no regard for police brutality. The actor embraces the role with undeniable swag. He’s the kind of cop who shoves a gun into a woman’s mouth for questioning his rough treatment of her gangster-linked husband. He’s also the kind of rogue officer who makes vulgar gestures while interrogating a powerful politician. And, naturally, he does it all while serving peak thirst-trap energy—skin-tight khakis, body-hugging white shirts, and an attitude that says rules are for sidekicks.

Deva is what you get if Kabir Singh, the hyper-masculine character from his previous blockbuster, and Kiran Bedi, the real-life fierce cop, were to go insanely rogue. Or, if Singham had a rebellious, no-filter cousin who took the law into his own hands while serving looks, Deva would be it. It’s enjoyable largely due to Shahid Kapoor’s charisma and star power.

How Does It Compare to the Original?

The movie’s story is adapted from Rosshan Andrrews’ 2013 Malayalam thriller Mumbai Police, which starred Prithviraj. How much you enjoy Deva will be directly proportional to how unfamiliar you are with the original work. The motive was superbly compelling in Mumbai Police, but the director and actor seem to have altered the climax in Deva, which comes across as a massive cop-out. However, for those unfamiliar with the South Indian film, the payoff remains passable.

Jointly produced by Zee Studios, Roy Kapur Films, and Malvika Khatri, the film is banking on positive word of mouth to sustain its box office run.