The Hindi film ‘Vadh,’ released in 2022, which focused on a retired school teacher who kills a corrupt moneylender, has been remade in Marathi as ‘Devamanus.’ The film examines the ethical dilemmas surrounding the point at which evil becomes intolerable. The core of the story involves a young girl who becomes the target of the villainous moneylender’s predatory desires. Keshav, played by Mahesh Manjrekar, the upright educator, eliminates the lecherous criminal and buries his body, while his supporters, including his wife Laxmi (Renuka Shahane), unite to protect him, viewing him as a ‘Devamanus’—a man of God who had to kill to vanquish evil. ‘Devamanus’ differs significantly from the original, favoring melodrama and featuring a villain portrayed in an exaggerated manner. Mahesh Manjrekar gives a brilliant performance as the conscientious patriarch, and Renuka Shahane also delivers an effective performance. The remake, however, lacks the stark realism of the original. The direction seems somewhat lacking, and the film is a more conventional potboiler rather than a compelling thriller. ‘Devamanus’ is, therefore, an unremarkable adaptation of a film that was not particularly outstanding to begin with.
