Shriram Iyengar
Mumbai, 22 Dec 2017 18:23 IST
Murali Nallappa's film captures the quirky delight of the Malayalam original, Charlie, in parts but does not get the emotional impact right.
Spontaneity must be one of the most difficult things to recreate on screen. The magic of simple, natural expression sometimes cannot be recreated no matter how much effort is put in. That, in a simple statement, is the problem at the heart of Murali Nallappa's Deva Ek Atrangee. The official remake of the 2016 Malayalam hit Charlie (starring Dulquer Salmaan and Parvathy), Deva Ek Atrangee is entertaining in parts, but fails to connect emotionally even with its visual beauty.
The story begins with accomplished writer Maya (Tejaswini Pandit) in search of a story for her second book. Escaping her mother's search for a groom, and to fulfil her own gypsy quest, she takes up her friend's offer to spend some time in the quiet and find a subject.
It is here that she first hears the name of Deva (Ankush Chaudhari). The mysterious owner of the bungalow where she is staying is the quirky, bohemian artist who has left a mark everywhere he has gone. From the folk drama troupe in the village to the quiet Meera (Spruha Joshi), whom he saves from committing suicide, or the thief whom he sets out on a jaunt with, his adventurous soul leaves a mark on everyone, but he never stays in one place.
As Maya gets more involved with her mysterious protagonist, she chases him down to the oddest places. Several times she misses him by a whisker. At each meeting, she comes across the story of an individual/group who have been saved, changed, or given direction by the wanderer. Eventually, she manages to find him, only to realize he can never be hers.
The film is well shot and paints a pretty picture of Konkan's green foliage and backwaters. However, the flaw lies in its inability to stitch these visuals together with the emotion of the tale. At times, it seems forced and the deviations from the story takes away from the impact. The songs, in particular, do not make an impact as expected, and affect the flow of the story.
Ankush Chaudhari has the monumental task of recreating a role on screen that cemented Dulquer Salmaan's stardom in Malayalam cinema. Chaudhari tries hard, and it shows. His character's seemingly natural quirky behaviour is overpowered by the evident effort put in.
Tejaswini Pandit is apt as the weird writer in search of her muse. She slips into her character with ease and manages to keep the engine of the film going. However, she sometimes falters at moments of heavy emotional impact.
Spruha Joshi leads the rest of the cast in a fantastic performance that keeps you engrossed in the film. Her role as Meera, the suicidal doctor who is saved and given new direction by Deva, is held up well by her subtle and nuanced performance.
There are other brilliant touches by Mohan Agashe and the late Reema Lagoo, who makes her final appearance in a touching, emotional scene. The highlight is the character of Gotya/Raosaheb, the thief who forms the first thread of the clues leading to Deva. Played delightfully by Mayur Pawar, he manages to deliver ripples of laughter every time he is on screen.
The film is entertaining in parts, but lacks the emotional connect that made the original so popular. The inability, perhaps, lies in the translation of Deva's quirkiness on screen. While it becomes difficult to fathom his character (as was planned), it is so random that it sometimes fails to evoke any response.
The progression of the story and the pursuit by Maya also seem simplistic. Her eventual meeting with the long-pursued mysterious character and their conversation leave a lot to be desired. There are attempts to submerge the flaws in the plot with some beautiful visuals, but they fail.
Deva Ek Atrangee is a nice experiment that would have worked better if it were handled with more care. Or, more correctly, in a manner that the care did not show.