Devmanus review: Mahesh Manjrekar gives remarkable performance in an effective, and engaging thriller
There are numerous films with a surprising plot twist in the conclusion that causes the audience to reassess everything, but there aren't many that have a twist in the midst of the film.The film 'Devmanus', starring Mahesh Manjrekar and Renuka Shahane, comes into the latter category. The film about an old husband and wife who are continually hounded by a loan shark unexpectedly transforms into an efficient, compelling thriller with a twist right in the middle.
Keshav (Mahesh Manjrekar) and Laxmi (Renuka Shahane) are an elderly couple from Kopargaon. Keshav is a Varkari, and Laxmi makes Paitani sarees to make some money. They pawned their house to a loan shark named Jedhe (Abhijeet Khandekar) to fund their son's education. The son has now settled in the United States and has no desire to repay his father. Dilip (Siddharth Bodke), a loan shark's sidekick, continues to harass and humiliate an elderly couple who are barely surviving. Dilip is a wicked man who enjoys tormenting everyone, but when Dilip plans to perform a heinous deed, Keshav does something that will forever alter his and his wife's lives. Will Keshav be able to conceal his crime, especially since the village cop, Ravi Deshmukh (Subodh Bhave), is a shady character who doesn't mind taking bribes from everyone?
The majority of the first half of the film's 129 minutes are devoted to illustrating the daily humiliation Keshav and Laxmi endure as a result of their failure to make interest-bearing loan payments on time. Because those moments help us comprehend the pain of the old couple, the first hour is really captivating. Since the movie's universe is rooted in truth, I thought the opening scenes in the first half did a good job of gradually giving us that eerie and unsettling feeling, even though some viewers could find them exploitative. The fact that he doesn't instantly transform into a totally different person within a day of committing an unimaginable act is another aspect of the movie that I found appealing. Despite having a simpler plot in the first half, there are moments that offer emotional depth to Keshav and Laxmi.
Mahesh Manjrekar delivers a standout remarkable performance as a man doing everything he can to survive. He portrays his character as both a loving husband and a humiliated elderly guy. He fully inhabits his persona. Renuka Shahane also does an excellent job as a humble and kind wife who gradually begins to lose faith in her husband following that twist near the conclusion of the first half. Siddharth Bodke also impresses as a wicked man who has no problem beating old men and lusting after a young 12 year old girl. Subodh Bhave also does a justice to his role.
In the final thirty minutes, 'Devmanus' begins to lose its strong hold on the audience. Even though Keshav and Laxmi have some touching moments in the second half, they somehow lose their impact since they become monotonous. The third act, particularly those fifteen to twenty minutes, is quite lacklustre, especially when everything becomes predictable and the issues are resolved far too quickly. Additionally, some of the brief scenes felt a little strange, particularly those involving Deshmukh's sub-inspector(Anshuman Joshi). He virtually serves as the comedic relief figure we saw in Bollywood and Tollywood films from the 1990s and 2000's.
Despite couple of flaws, 'Devmanus' remains an effective and engaging thriller
Cast: Mahesh Manjrekar, Renuka Shahane, Subodh Bhave, Siddharth Bodke
Writer: Neha Shitole
Director: Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar
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