The teaser was electrifying. Shahid Kapoor delivered one of his best performances in the film. Its inspiration, Mumbai Police, is considered one of the finest thrillers in Malayalam cinema, with its director, Rosshan Andrrews, also helming the Hindi remake. Yet, despite favourable odds, Deva, which released in theatres on January 31, 2025, has been underperforming. However, it remains to be seen whether the situation is entirely hopeless for this cop thriller. The movie also stars Pooja Hegde and Pavail Gulati. ‘Deva’ Movie Review: A Watered Down Remake of Rosshan Andrrews’ ‘Mumbai Police’ Almost Redeemed by an Impressive Shahid Kapoor.

At the time of writing, Deva has completed one week in theatres, netting INR 28.4 crore in India. Its worldwide gross stands at INR 47.25 crore (according to Sacnilk), though the producers claim a figure of INR 48.03 crore.

 

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Reportedly made on a budget of INR 80 crore, the film needs to earn at least INR 100 crore to be considered a theatrical hit. Given that Deva has lost its momentum, this seems an arduous task for the Shahid Kapoor-starrer, especially with new Hindi releases like Badass Ravikumar and Loveyapa hitting theatres on February 7, 2025.

What Went Wrong With 'Deva'?

Let’s examine five key factors that may have contributed to Deva’s underperformance:

1. Shahid Kapoor’s Box Office Record

A Still From Deva

Let’s address the elephant in the room. Shahid Kapoor is a talented actor with a loyal fan base. However, as a box office draw, his track record is less than stellar, despite over two decades as a leading man. He has only two films that have crossed the INR 100 crore mark in India - Kabir Singh and Padmaavat - with only Kabir Singh being a solo-starrer. While he has a handful of hits like Jab We Met, many of his well-received films were only average performers commercially, such as his 2024 release, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. Shahid needs to find his niche to draw crowds and solidify his box office appeal - if that’s even his aim. Otherwise, we’re perfectly content seeing him in meaningful projects like Haider and Udta Punjab.

2. No Good Momentum Post-Teaser

A Still From Deva

The teaser of Deva was kickass - well-edited and buzzworthy. But then, things went downhill. The trailer received a lukewarm response, and the songs failed to connect with audiences. Shahid Kapoor, of all people, should know the importance of a popular soundtrack, given that his biggest hits - Kabir Singh, Padmaavat, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, Jab We Met, Vivah, and Ishq Vishk - all boasted memorable music.

3. Remake Curse

Poster of Mumbai Police

Bollywood really needs to cool its obsession with remakes. Since theatres reopened post-pandemic, only two remakes have succeeded—both coincidentally starring Ajay Devgn: Drishyam 2 (which benefited from its franchise appeal) and Shaitaan (which flew under the radar as a remake until its release). The rest, despite featuring big names like Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, and Hrithik Roshan, have flopped spectacularly. The situation became so dire that Shahid Kapoor himself denied Deva was a remake of Mumbai Police in pre-release promotions, though the trailer made its inspiration abundantly clear. With Loveyapa (a remake of the Tamil hit Love Today) also off to a cold start, it’s high time producers focus on original content or stick to established franchises. ‘Deva’: From Pooja Hegde’s Character to That Big Twist, 7 Key Changes in Shahid Kapoor’s Remake of Prithviraj Sukumaran’s ‘Mumbai Police’.

4. Doesn’t Justify Its Existence

A Still From Deva

While Mumbai Police was a gripping investigative thriller about an amnesiac cop solving a murder he had already cracked before losing his memory, its standout feature in 2013 was its bold third-act twist. Spoilers ahead: not only was it revealed that the cop himself was the killer of his friend, but he was also gay—a revelation that was groundbreaking at the time, especially since the role was played by a mainstream actor like Prithviraj Sukumaran. Fast forward to 2025, and both Malayalam and Hindi cinema have seen popular actors take on LGBTQ+ roles, such as Mammootty in Kaathal, Ayushmann Khurrana in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, and Rajkummar Rao in Badhaai Do. As a result, the twist no longer carries the same impact. While Deva attempted to take a different route by ditching the homosexuality angle, its alternative twist fell flat, leaving viewers wondering why the remake was even necessary.

5. Mixed Reviews

A Still From Deva

Ultimately, Deva opened to mixed reviews and an average audience response. While Shahid Kapoor’s performance was universally praised - a trend in nearly all his films, regardless of their box office performance - the film needed strong critical acclaim or positive word-of-mouth to succeed. Unfortunately, it achieved neither.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 07, 2025 08:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).