KD: The Devilfeels like a moderate comeback for Dhruva Sarja. In the film industry, it’s normal to compare your current project with previous ones. After his exaggerated performances in Martinand Pogaru, Sarja’s effort in KD can be described as better. As for director Prem, the film marginally puts him back on track following his misfire with The Villain (despite the star cast of Shivarajkumar and Sudeep) and the forgettable Ek Love Ya.

KD, with a decent character arc for the protagonist,allows Dhruva Sarja to display his skills, though he does go overboard in some sequences. With a semblance of a story, Prem shows the promise he displayed during his prime, which ended with Jogi (2004).

These are minor positives of a film that banks on formula. KD has the same template as an average Prem movie, in which an innocent man is forced to become a dreaded criminal (Jogi, Raaj The Showman). His imagination still makes him write over-the-top characters, which he feels are still relatable. Arjun Janya’s loud background score runs throughout the movie, adding to the film’s deafening nature, so much so that some dialogues aren’t clear.

The first half is watchable as the film plot doesn’t feel rushed. Prem introduces his central characters, such as Kaali (Sarja), a kerosene dealer, his love interest Machlakshmi (Reeshma Nanaiah), Dhak Deva (Sanjay Dutt), a dread don, and his wife Satyavati (played by Shilpa Shetty).

Some interesting writing decisions neutralise the story’s overall dullness. The reason why Kaali admires Deva, despite knowing his dangerous background, is quite convincing. There is a nice stretch where the cops try to use Kaali as a tool to eliminate Deva. The humour works in parts while the songs (’Shiva Shiva’) are made for the big screen, with Prem’s visual imagery in sync with Arjun Janya’s music and William David’s cinematography.

KD is far from perfect because the writing feels too safe. Ravichandran is wasted in the character of an MLA. Instead of the overlong love story, the film could have used his character to build a political conflict in a gangster drama. Shilpa Shetty’s character could have been utilised to take on Kaali in the second half, as a revenge saga could have elevated the film. Instead, the second half is just a long stretch of Kaali protecting his family, and the treatment feels too generic. Sanjay Dutt tries hard but doesn’t come across as menacing thanks to shallow characterisation.

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KD is for those who relish dramatic ‘masala’ movies that are loaded with hero-elevation scenes. William David uses low-angle shots, tilted frames, and several dynamic drone shots to create high-impact moments involving the hero.

This is a fan service from Prem. Fans of Dhruva Sarja who wanted to see him in a ‘massy’ image with a decent storyline will lap up KD. That said, Sarja, who can emerge as an all-round entertainer (his dance moves continue to impress), must aim to push his boundaries as an actor and choose unique scripts. As for Prem, the once-celebrated director must go beyond just teasing characters to the audience and ending his stories abruptly. It’s high time he had a better judgment of the audience’s intelligence.

KD: The Devil is currently running in theatres