In a landscape of formulaic political thrillers, a superstar’s dual performance often serves as the electrifying current that keeps the film running. In Prakash Veer’s latest mass entertainer, The Devil, this could not be truer. The film, a volatile mix of high-stakes political drama, mistaken identity, and a love triangle, is powered almost entirely by the magnetic presence and remarkable range of Darshan. While the screenplay might be characterized as ‘patchy’ and the plot ‘outdated,’ the sheer star power and conviction he brings to the two sharply contrasting roles turn an uneven cinematic experience into a massy, must-watch spectacle for his legions of fans. The box office numbers, with a reported \text{₹}10 \text{ crore} net collection on day one, are a testament to the immense and unshakeable loyalty of the Kannada audience to their ‘Challenging Star.’
The Premise: Good vs. Evil in a Political Arena
The Devil: A Complex Antagonist in Politics
At its heart, The Devil is a quintessential lookalike drama, but with a crucial twist: the doppelgangers are two sides of a moral coin. The stage is set with the downfall of a powerful Chief Minister, Rajashekar (Mahesh Manjrekar), who is betrayed and imprisoned by his own kin. Desperate to maintain control, his trusted advisor, IAS officer Anant Nambiar (Achyuth Kumar, in a nuanced performance), is tasked with bringing the CM’s estranged and notoriously dangerous son, Dhanush, back from London to assume the political mantle.
Dhanush, a character so reckless and entitled he earns the moniker “The Devil,” is everything a public leader should not be—arrogant, violent, and utterly devoid of public compassion. When he refuses to play ball, Nambiar’s political chessboard calls for a daring move: recruiting Krishna, an identical lookalike.
Krishna (also Darshan), is the antithesis of Dhanush. He is a gentle, sincere mess-owner and aspiring actor from Gandhinagar, embodying the simple, honest hopes of the common man. Convinced to impersonate Dhanush with the promise of a big acting opportunity, Krishna enters the high-octane world of political campaigning. His genuine empathy immediately connects with the masses, injecting sincerity into a cynical political machine.
The True Star: Darshan’s Masterclass in Duality
The central tension, and indeed the film’s greatest strength, lies in how Darshan embodies these two disparate personalities. It’s a showcase of his ability to switch from pure ‘mass’ heroism to vulnerable performance-driven acting.
- As Krishna: Darshan is all heart and humility. His body language is soft, his gaze sincere, and his actions are guided by an innate goodness—from personally serving midday meals to genuinely helping the needy. He makes you care about his moral tightrope walk. This is the character that anchors the emotional weight of the film, allowing Darshan to tap into a more nuanced, relatable side of his persona.
- As Dhanush, “The Devil”: This is where the star unleashes his darker side. Dhanush is a menace—a privileged, entitled megalomaniac whose violence is chilling. Darshan portrays him with a terrifying swagger, a cold, unhinged energy that commands the screen. The sheer contrast between the two characters is what elevates the viewing experience, providing a continuous “Darshan vs. Darshan” dynamic that the audience craves.
This is more than just a costume change; it’s a complete shift in mannerisms, voice modulation, and energy. The fact that he carries both roles with such conviction is what makes the film a compelling watch, even when the narrative stumbles. His performance is being hailed as the film’s saving grace, proving that a star’s presence can often overcome weak links in the story.
The Patchy Plot: Predictability and Uneven Pace
While Darshan’s performance is a clear hit, the same cannot be said for the film’s narrative structure. Director-writer Prakash Veer attempts to juggle the political intrigue, the lookalike drama, and the burgeoning love story between Krishna and Rukmini (Rachana Rai), but the stitching often shows.
The plot, revolving around a political double-cross and a stand-in hero, is fundamentally predictable. For viewers familiar with mass cinema tropes, there are few genuine surprises. The screenplay tends to rely on tried-and-tested formulas, occasionally leading to moments that feel melodramatic or slightly dated. Early reviews noted that for a casual watcher, the routine political drama in the first half might not sit well.
The narrative rhythm is also uneven. Some critics found that the first half, while setting up the political backdrop and introducing the characters, felt hurriedly edited, with a few scenes lacking smooth connection. However, the film wisely uses the interval block as a major turning point, creating a compelling cliffhanger that raises the stakes just as the real Dhanush unexpectedly returns, throwing the meticulously laid political plan into chaos. The strong momentum of the second half’s action and climax helps paper over the flaws of the earlier stretches.
Emotional Anchors and Supporting Cast
The film avoids reducing its female lead to a mere glamour element. Rachana Rai as Rukmini plays a crucial role as the emotional centre of the conflict. Her connection with Krishna, and the subsequent confusion when she encounters the real ‘Devil’ Dhanush, forms the basis for the Darshan vs. Darshan conflict—a battle not just for power, but for love and moral redemption. The director, Prakash Veer, has been praised for providing ‘whistle-worthy hero elevations’ while ensuring the drama remains grounded.
The supporting cast, particularly Achyuth Kumar as the manipulative political advisor Nambiar and Mahesh Manjrekar as the CM, also adds considerable weight. Their performances elevate the political drama, providing the necessary cunning and gravitas to the high-stakes world of power-broking. The music, composed by B. Ajaneesh Loknath (known for his work on Kantara), also enhances the overall impact, with two energetic numbers perfectly fitting the mood of a Darshan-led entertainer.
Meta-References and The Power of Stardom
Interestingly, The Devil contains several meta-references that resonate deeply with Darshan’s fan base and his recent real-life challenges. The theme of a celebrated star navigating a complex public life and the constant scrutiny he faces seems to reflect in the on-screen narrative. His powerful on-screen presence, especially in action sequences, has been celebrated by fans as a “strong comeback.”
The massive opening day collection—with an impressive \text{63.75\%} occupancy in Karnataka and night shows peaking at nearly \text{80\%}—demonstrates a phenomenon beyond simple movie criticism. It’s a testament to the unyielding power of stardom and a public show of support from his fans, who ensured a record-breaking opening despite the actor’s absence from promotions. The film was released across 2500 screens, dominating nearly \text{90\%} of single-screen theatres in the state.
The Director’s Vision and Future Projects
Director Prakash Veer, who previously delivered the successful family melodrama Tarak (2017) with Darshan, aimed for a significant genre shift with The Devil, focusing on a high-stakes action thriller. Veer has been quoted as saying the film was made purely for the Kannada audience. Looking ahead, the collaboration between Darshan and Prakash Veer is set to continue with Devil: The Hero, an upcoming Kannada gangster drama. This project, which was in pre-production before the current film’s release, is described as a ‘mass entertainer tailor-made for true-blue Darshan fans,’ signaling a continued commitment to high-octane commercial cinema. The director’s next project is eagerly anticipated as a continuation of their successful partnership.
The Final Verdict: A Star-Powered Spectacle
The Devil is not a perfect film. It is a movie with a patchy, sometimes outdated plot, but its imperfections are overshadowed by a commanding, dual performance from its lead star. Darshan’s ability to embody both the humble aspirant and the menacing antagonist is the film’s definitive triumph.
He transforms what could have been a messy, conventional political thriller into a gripping cinematic ride. For fans of Darshan, the film is a feast—a high-voltage, action-packed spectacle that showcases their idol’s impressive range. For others, it’s a standard mass entertainer that is watchable because of the compelling duality at its core. While the writing might occasionally miss the mark, Darshan’s masterful control over both ‘Krishna’ and ‘The Devil’ ensures that this film leaves a significant, albeit uneven, impact at the box office.