Devil Movie Review: Darshan’s Dual Punch Drives an Uneven Mass Entertainer

Devil Storyline: Krishna (Darshan), a small-time actor, is hired to impersonate Dhanush (Darshan), the reckless son of a CM (Mahesh Manjrekar). But when the real Dhanush returns and crosses paths with Rukku (Rachana Rai), chaos erupts—triggering a messy clash of identities, jealousy, power plays and political manipulation.

Review: Darshan’s long-pending The Devil finally hits screens, emerging as one of the year’s biggest Kannada releases despite the actor’s current judicial custody. The film opens with a political setup featuring Mahesh Manjrekar, Achyuth Kumar, and others. Darshan enters with a foot-tapping mass number before the plot splits into two tracks, revealing his dual role early on.

Krishna, a middle-class mess owner dreaming of stardom, realizes he resembles Dhanush, the CM’s reckless son. When the CM is arrested, his aide convinces Krishna to impersonate Dhanush, believing the real one is unfit to handle political heat. Krishna treats the gig like an “acting job,” though his makeover sequence suffers from shoddy graphics.

Rachana Rai’s Rukku is introduced in a flashback that feels out of place structurally. Once Krishna steps into Dhanush’s role, he wins the public easily—until the real Dhanush suddenly returns. A misunderstanding with Rukku leads to jealousy, chaos, and emotional turmoil, all while Achyuth Kumar’s character uses Krishna for political advantage. The second half focuses on whether Krishna can untangle the lies, reclaim his life, and save Rukku.

The film’s biggest drawback lies in its uneven editing—likely fallout from production delays. Scenes feel misplaced, affecting the flow and emotional beats. While the first half drags, the second half improves with sharper conflicts and engaging twists.

Darshan performs both roles convincingly, though his styling feels inconsistent. Rachana Rai is solid, Sharmiela Mandre is underused, and Gilli Nata provides light humour. Achyuth Kumar shines in a grounded performance. B Ajaneesh Loknath’s music is mixed—catchy songs but a loud, overdone background score.

Verdict: A serviceable, one-time watch for mass-action lovers—just temper expectations.