Devamanus: A Melodramatic Take on a Morally Complex Story

‘Devamanus,’ the Marathi remake of the Hindi film ‘Vadh,’ revisits the story of a retired school teacher who kills a corrupt moneylender. The film explores the question of when evil crosses the line and becomes unbearable. The plot centers on a young girl targeted by the villainous moneylender. Keshav, played by Mahesh Manjrekar, takes action against the lecherous criminal, burying his body while his loved ones, including his wife Laxmi (Renuka Shahane), form a protective circle around him. They see Keshav as a ‘Devamanus’—a man of God who was forced to commit murder to combat evil. While ‘Vadh’ had a raw, gritty feel, ‘Devamanus’ uses melodrama and presents a cartoonish villain, whose acting is poor. Mahesh Manjrekar delivers a strong performance, showcasing the character’s internal conflict, and Renuka Shahane plays the wife with a good degree of impact. However, the remake lacks the sharp realism of the original, and the director’s approach feels somewhat lacking. The adaptation is more akin to a kitsch drama than a serious exploration, resulting in an adaptation that fails to live up to the original material.