‘Devara’ Movie Cast And Character Guide

Pan Indian mega-budget releases have become quite common in almost every regional movie industry, and Tollywood (the Telugu industry) has long since mastered this trade, evident from the massy entertainers from directors like S.S. Rajamouli. Telugu superstar NTR Jr’s latest release, Devara Part 1, an action-adventure spectacle set in the coastal region of Southern India, carries the industry’s tradition of delivering potent masala movies. With the scope of such ventures growing wider and going global, an ensemble of talented actors across the country are assembled to appeal to regional audiences, and similar efforts are noticeable in Devara Part 1 as well. To be honest, the movie is a one-man show led by NTR Jr, and aside from Saif Ali Khan as the prime antagonist, there wasn’t much for the supporting cast to do, but despite that, they played their parts convincingly to sustain the immersion.

Devara/ Vara Played by NTR Jr.

For Telugu movie buffs, Jr. NTR needs no introduction given his status as a superstar in the industry and having a prolific acting career spanning over two decades, and the global audience will definitely recognize him for playing the role of the rugged tribal leader Komaram Bheem in RRR. In Devara Part 1, the actor plays the lead duo of Devara and his son Vara, and even though the trope of double role/hidden personality is getting real boring at this point, Jr. NTR gave a good enough performance by exploring the differences and nuances in each of the characters. In Devara’s case, his valor, benevolent nature, and protective tendencies resemble traditional masala movie do-gooder heroes, but he is not flawless by any means. Devara led his and Bhaira’s group of smugglers to raid consignment ships in the high seas, being oblivious to the fact that in doing so, he was putting the lives of the villagers, whom he was supposed to protect, in peril. Already burdened by shame and guilt for the kind of profession he’d opted for, learning that the blood of his people is on his hands resulted in Devara becoming determined to redeem himself by putting an end to his old trade. When it comes to Vara, his modus operandi is more cerebral than his father’s, as he carries the legacy of his father in secret by creating a mythos around him. One major improvement that was needed in this mix was that the relation between Devara and his son could have been explored a bit more to convince the audience about their shared motive and belief system, which could have better explained why a young Vara ended up killing his own father. 

Bhaira Played by Saif Ali Khan

Prominent Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has had quite an illustrious career since the last few decades, playing major roles in movies like Omkara, Agent Vinod, Parineeta, and Dil Chahta Hai and making his presence felt on the small screen as well with Netflix’s crime drama, Sacred Games. Saif excels whenever he is playing the role of a bad guy, and Devara Part 1, where he portrays the character of the dreaded smuggler Bhaira, is a testament to that fact. Bhaira is your traditional masala movie bad guy, an unscrupulous, greedy, power-hungry individual who can stoop to any low to force his will upon others. A major difference between Devara and Bhaira is that while Devara adheres to tradition and the old ways, he knows the importance of change and progress, something that Bhaira’s hatred-filled mind cannot comprehend, and as a result, only the negative, violent aspect of their tradition appeals to him. There are shades of Langda Tyagi, also played by Saif in Omkara (Othello adaptation), in Bhaira’s character, as he manipulates and tricks Devara and people close to him with ease. In this context, it is very ironic that he himself gets fooled by Vara so easily and fails to recognize that Devara’s myth is fabricated by his son. Hopefully, in the upcoming sequel to the movie, Bhaira’s role will get an added dimension as he learns about Vara’s truth. 

Singappa Played by Prakash Raj

Veteran actor Prakash Raj’s reputation as an actor precedes him, as he has left his mark across more than half a dozen movie industries of the country. Additionally, his humanitarian and political contributions are well regarded as well, making him a prominent face in both reel and real world. He plays the role of village elder Singappa, who is revealed to have close association with Devara, and is a staunch believer in his ideals. However, Singappa was mostly reduced to a narrator/storyteller role throughout Devara Part 1. Hopefully the character will get a more prominent position in the narrative in the upcoming sequel entry. 

Devara’s Mother Played By Zarina Wahab

Another veteran legend on the list, Zarina Wahab is an extremely recognizable face among Indian movie buffs, as her work in Hindi and Malayalam movies is well regarded. In the movie, she plays the role of Devara’s mother, and despite her having the briefest of screentime, the plight of her character, who lost her family members to the sea, evoked a sense of sympathy among viewers. 

Thangam Played By Janhvi Kapoor

Bollywood actor Janhvi Kapoor, who has made a name for herself by playing a series of female-centric leads, appears in Devara Part 1 as she plays the role of Thangam, Vara’s love interest. Unfortunately, the script didn’t offer her a memorable individual identity, and I am not sure what her character contributed to the story aside from a music sequence in the movie. Hopefully, that changes in the sequel, so Thangam can have a noticeable impact on the narrative itself. 

Devara Part 1 boasts a strong supporting cast as well, as Abhimanyu Singh portrayed the role of the crooked DSP Tulasi, Murali Sharma played the role of Muruga, whereas in the role of Rayappa, Meka Srikanth made a mark, and Shine Tom Chacko played the role of Kora, who should have been utilized in a better role.