KD The Devil Review: This Dhruva Sarja Flick Is All Style And Little Substance

In recent years, Kannada cinema has made headlines with pan-Indian films and the attempt to deliver more of these has been it singular goal for many. KD:The Devil, directed by Prem who has delivered numerous hits in Sandalwood, is a similar attempt. However, the difference here is that rather than adapting to a pan-Indian audience, Prem has retained his loud, over-the-top, spectacle commercial brand of cinema in KD:The Devil.

The narrative begins in the 1980s where we meet Kalidasa or Kali or KD (Dhruva Sarja), an uneducated guy who is comical, emotional and innocent in a way. Though KD's brother Dharma (Ramesh Arvind) studies well and becomes a school teacher, he is not his idol - instead, his idol is the dreaded gangster Dhak Deva (Sanjay Dutt) who rules Bengaluru's underworld. Dharma and KD don't share a great relationship due to their diverse paths and there is evident tension brewing which will eventually lead to a major conflict.

However, it's not just Deva alone who is feared in the city - his paramour Satyavati (Shilpa Shetty) is also as dangerous as him. Enter Annayappa (Ravichandran) who plays a key role in this political universe who causes more tension in this alert tenuous scenario.

To lighten the mood, we meet KD's love interest Machu Lakshmi (Reeshma Nanaiah), a loud, brash young girl who is quite fierce yet captivating. KD just can't seem to get enough of her and her antics. Things seem to be going well for him but due to some misunderstandings and politics at play, KD stumbles into the world of crime and has to face up to Dhak Deva who is threading to wipe out his entire family. How does KD deal with the situation and save his family?

One word that people associate with director Prem and his movies is 'eccentric' and KD:The Devil is as unconventional a film as it can get. From the get go, the movie explodes with massive colourful sets, costumes, and performances that are loud and theatrical unlike cinema.

The first half of the film tells us about KD and what his life is about while the second half moves into the conflict zone and there's more drama and action. The director has mounted the film on a large canvas and parts of it are a splendid watch visually but the paper thin story doesn't do justice to this cinematic style. Some of the scenes are stretched (like the romantic portions) and redundant and could have benefitted from a tighter story and crisp editing. Prem tries to give his fans what they expect in terms of visuals and action but falters when it comes to pacing and a gripping narrative.

One must appreciate actor Dhruva Sarja for fully committing himself to the role of KD and delivering the theatrical performance that was required. He managed to make KD:The Devil fun and frivolous and yet someone who had strong values and emotions when you scratch the surface.

Senior actor Ramesh Arvind portrayed Dharma by bringing in the gravitas that was required for the role of an elder brother and disciplined school teacher. Sanjay Dutt has become a popular antagonist in south cinema and in KD: The Devil he has explored another negative character as Dhak Deva. He has delivered what was required as has Shilpa Shetty who is seen in a south film after ages. Kichha Sudeep makes a cameo in this movie and his fans would love to see this for sure.

With regard to the technical aspects of this film, it is the set designer Mohan B Kere who has to be applauded as he has recreated old Bangalore quite impressively. This adds value to the cinematography by William David but the music by Arjun Janya is not as ambitious sadly.

Prem has made a loud and ambitious film but for all the style, it lacks substance. KD: The Devil makes a big entrance but doesn't keep you hooked till the end.