Kannada star Darshan Thoogudeepa’s film The Devil has released in theatres on 11 December. The release comes at a difficult time for the actor, who is lodged in Ballari Central Prison in connection with
the Renukaswamy murder case. Owing to his absence from promotional events, Darshan shared a note of gratitude for his fans, conveyed through his wife Vijayalakshmi, just a day before its release. His ardent fans headed to theatres to watch him on the big screen. Now they are taking to social media to share their opinion on The Devil.
The Devil X Review: D Boss Darshan's Film Opens To Mixed Reviews
While the film has opened to houseful shows, The Devil has received a mixed response after the early screenings. Many viewers praised Darshan’s performance and his commanding presence on screen, others called it an average film.
One fan posted a detailed breakdown of the first half, calling it a “routine political drama.” The user felt that several scenes lacked connection and even suggested that the film was edited in a hurried manner. They also criticised the styling and wig selection for Darshan’s character. A user posted ""No need for words, the visual itself is the answer! This is what DBOSS means. Every frame is fire! @dasadarshan #devilfirstshow #devil #DBoss #DarshanThoogudeep #thedevil "
A user highlighted both positive and weaknesses. They found the hero’s entry “classic” and praised Darshan’s acting and screen presence. On the downside, they felt the comedy did not land well and criticised the background score, detailing that it didn’t match the visuals. Their rating for the first half stood at 2.3 out of 5. The post read "An okayish first half with a decent double-action setup and a good hero entry song, though a few dull scenes and off-sync BGM slow it down. The interval works well and hints at a strong dual-hero face-off, keeping you interested for the second half".
Another user wrote that the film’s setup, including its double-action angle and hero entry, worked well, but a few dull scenes slowed the pace. The social media user felt that the interval built anticipation for a potential dual-hero face-off. The post read "Same Tarak type Story, #DBoss ENTRY is Classic unwanted Comedy is Overrated Screens & BGM is not matching, Darshan S.P is Good, DBoss Acting".Directed by Prakash Veer, The Devil also stars Rachana Rai, Tulasi, Achyuth Kumar, Mahesh Manjrekar and Bigg Boss Kannada fame Gilli Nata.