Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 61

Dark Night of the Soul Review: Cuts Deep but Runs Long

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Dr. Alex Waldan is a brilliant scientist working for the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), and her groundbreaking research could potentially cure a devastating pandemic. However, before her work can bear fruit, Alex is involved in a horrific car crash in an isolated area, leaving her trapped inside the vehicle with no help in sight.

Written and directed by S.J. Creazzo, the 2024 movie Dark Night of the Soul is an intense survival drama that hinges on Kristanna Loken’s compelling portrayal of Alex. The movie wastes no time setting up its central conflict: Alex is severely injured, bleeding profusely, and unable to move. She must find ways to free herself and administer first aid while battling against time and her own deteriorating condition.

Watching a bleeding, desperate Alex fight for survival is visceral and deeply uncomfortable. The scenario instantly reminded me of the 2017 Netflix horror movie Gerald’s Game, where Carla Gugino’s character Jessie fights to free herself from handcuffs in a remote lake house after her husband’s sudden death. While Dark Night of the Soul isn’t a typical horror film, its disturbing elements make viewers worry for Alex at every turn.

As Alex struggles to stay alive, flashbacks reveal her turbulent relationship with her father (Martin Kove, in a memorable cameo) and her complicated bond with her sister Lori (Courtney Warner). Kristanna Loken delivers a powerful performance, convincingly portraying a brilliant scientist determined to fight for every breath. You definitely want to cheer for Alex’s victory. In contrast, Courtney Warner’s portrayal of Lori feels less convincing, with their sisterly exchanges coming off as slightly wooden.

The flashbacks are a mixed bag. While they provide deeper insight into Alex’s character, some moments slow the film’s pacing and diffuse its tension. However, certain memories serve to motivate Alex, reminding her of her greater purpose and pushing her to keep fighting, despite the odds stacked against her.

Overall, Dark Night of the Soul is an engaging survival drama, though its runtime should have been tighter for a more thrilling visual experience.

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Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale Documentary Review

Actor Nayanthara, the titular lead, is the strongest ingredient of this muddled recipe, with the creators insisting on labeling her as ‘lady superstar’ (twice, in big bold letters) at the beginning, as if calling her simply a superstar would be an affront to her male counterparts.

It was after watching the Tamil movie Annapoorani that I learned actor Nayanthara is known as the “lady superstar” down south. At first, you might think adding “lady” as a prefix to “superstar” sounds almost insulting, as if only men can hold the title. But on second thought, Tamil cinema is still a hyper-masculine market, where producers rely heavily on stars like Rajinikanth, Vijay, or Suriya to draw crowds. For female actors like Nayanthara to deliver commercial hits without playing second fiddle to the hero is a significant achievement. Netflix’s documentary Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale highlights her turbulent journey to success, which began with a phone call from a director who saw her photo in a magazine while she was still in college.

The documentary features footage from Nayanthara’s older films, interwoven with interviews from the actor herself, her director-husband Vignesh Shivan, and other Tamil industry figures, including Atlee, who directed the SRK-Nayanthara starrer Jawan. However, aside from exclusive footage of her glasshouse beach wedding, the documentary offers little that isn’t already in the public domain. Moreover, the agenda of Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale feels unclear. It begins with a seemingly staged scene where Nayanthara and her close circle panic over not getting clearances for her wedding at Tirupati, forcing them to find alternate venues just 10 days before the D-day.

If the rest of the documentary had focused on the chaos, stress, shopping, and celebrations surrounding her wedding, it could have been a fresh, fun docu-drama. Instead, after the wedding panic sequence, the first half shifts gears to explore Nayanthara’s early career and the struggles she faced as an outsider with no industry connections.

“A loud, overweight Nayanthara, whose rolls of fat appear to be doing a Mexican wave across her waist in a song sequence,” reads a scathing review, flashed in the documentary as a newspaper clipping. Nayanthara recalls being deeply hurt by the body-shaming she endured, particularly during her appearance in the blockbuster Ghajini (starring Suriya), which later inspired the Bollywood adaptation starring Aamir Khan.

The second half returns focus to Nayanthara’s romance with Vignesh Shivan, a director a year her junior. Their relationship quickly became meme material, with comments like “when the beast snags the beauty” circulating widely. However, if there’s one authentic aspect of Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale, it’s the easy-cute camaraderie between Nayanthara and Vignesh. “He’s so secure as a man that he just lets me be the way I want to be,” Nayanthara says with a beaming smile. And perhaps that’s the true secret of any successful relationship: giving your partner the freedom to be themselves.

Watch Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale on Netflix only if you’re a fan of the actor; otherwise, it feels more like a PR exercise with just one purpose – to celebrate the ‘lady superstar’.

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GhostBox Issue #2 Review

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“Well, she just up and run, didn’t she? Like Satan’s bright red bitch was snapping at her heels.”

Those are the opening words of issue #2 of the comic book series GhostBox by Mike Carey, Pablo Raimondi, and Jose Villarruba, and they cracked me up a little. The issue begins with protagonist Chloe running in a sweaty panic, seconds after witnessing her sister’s murder at the isolated property they inherited, while a ghost judges her cowardice.

Okay, let’s recap the first issue of GhostBox—Chloe is super broke, out of a job, and stoked to inherit a property from a distant uncle. She and her sister check the place out; it’s not too fancy and is filled with junk, so they hope to make some money by selling the stuff. A stranger sees an old box in their photos and offers a very generous amount to buy it. However, when Jan realizes the box isn’t ordinary junk but holds special powers, she refuses to sell it, leading to her violent death at the hands of the man, who turns out to be a monstrous entity.

So issue #2 of GhostBox reveals how the box is inhabited by a bunch of ghosts, that brainstorm over how not to land in the hands of monsters like the dude in the last issue. Meanwhile, Chloe, who is still in shock over her sister’s murder, lands in serious trouble with the police, because all evidence points towards her as the primary suspect in the case.

This is shaping up to be a fun, fast-paced comic book series. Poor Chloe doesn’t even have time to grieve her sister’s death or process what really happened. The artwork is quite good, though the panels do feel a bit chaotic and cluttered at times. That said, this issue introduces a host of new ghostly characters, all of whom reside in the GhostBox, with Jan now its newest dead resident. The character designs are entertaining, featuring a shiny medieval knight, an ancient Chinese diplomat, and a possibly Victorian-era blonde-haired lady—an eclectic mix of spirits that bring life (or afterlife) to this chapter.

The second half of the issue introduces a grotesque new monster, whose initial appearance is pretty creepy. However, I’m still on the fence about what to make of this fresh antagonist. A sudden burst of violence and blood quickly shifts the focus in the last few pages, leading to yet another cliffhanger. The excitement now lies in whether the ghosts and Chloe can keep the box safe from falling into evil hands.

Rating: 4 out of 5. GhostBox is also available on Kindle Unlimited.

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The Heart Killers Episode 1 Review

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“He’s like a vicious dog, I’ll probably need to get a rabies before going near him!”

This has to be the funniest line from Episode 1 of the GMMTV series The Heart Killers, starring Khaotung Thanawat Ratanakitpaisan and Joong Archen Aydin as brothers Bison and Fadel. By day, they run a burger joint; by night, they’re contract killers. Tattoo artist Kant (First Kanaphan Puitrakul) spots Bison at a bowling alley, and the two end up having a memorable one-night stand. A few days later, in an incredible coincidence, Kant is tasked by a cop to get close to the gunmen brothers to uncover who they work for, in exchange for having his past criminal record wiped clean. To get the necessary intel from Bison, Kant must deal with Fadel, his moody, overprotective brother. So, he enlists the help of his handsome best friend Style (Dunk Natachai Boonprasert) to seduce Fadel and keep him distracted. But getting close to the brothers is no easy job.

Directed by Jojo Tichakorn Phukhaotong (Only Friends, The Warp Effect, Never Let Me Go), the 12-part series kicks off with brothers Kant and Bison killing a mafia boss, establishing themselves as hired killers. While the opening minutes of The Heart Killers, depicting the murder, lack intensity and conviction, the rest of the episode is engaging—especially the casual, ‘meet-cute’ between Kant and Bison at the bowling alley.

Khaotung and First Kanaphan Puitrakul, who have been delivering stellar on-screen chemistry since their lead pairing in The Eclipse, once again shine in The Heart Killers. Even in the pilot episode, their dynamic is probably the strongest element. And unlike other slow-burn GMMTV romances, viewers do not have to wait until at least episode 8 to watch the lead pair lock lips. All sorts of action happen in the very first episode—murder, sex, accidents, and some too-convenient coincidences.

Joong Archen Aydin (Hidden Agenda/Star In My Mind) is perfectly cast as the cold, angst-ridden older brother with major trust issues. If nothing else, he totally nails the “handsome guy with attitude problems” vibe. On the other hand, Dunk Natachai Boonprasert plays Style, a mechanic, and the goofy one of the four leads—the guy who, according to Kant, “has no shame and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants.” In episode one, Style’s flirting style totally borders on cringe-y, depending on the kind of viewers, it might be funny, or simply annoying.

Can Style and Kant win over the brothers’ hearts and get them to spill their secrets? And when they do, can they really walk away without tangling up their own hearts in the process? Sure, it’s not too hard to guess where this is headed, but The Heart Killers is off to an entertaining start!

You can watch episode one of The Heart Killers on YouTube. It’s also on iQIYI.

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The Buckingham Murders Ending Explained

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Plot Overview: Kareena Kapoor plays Jaspreet Bhamra, AKA Jass, a grieving cop struggling with the trauma of losing her son to gun violence. Seeking a fresh start, she transfers to a new city and takes on the case of Ishpreet Kohli, a missing Indian-origin Sikh boy.

Initial Revelations: Jass discovers that Ishpreet was adopted by Daljeet Kohli and his wife, Preeti, whose unhappy marriage and Daljeet’s suspected affair create an atmosphere of suspicion. The adoption adds another layer of intrigue—did the parents get rid of Ishpreet to ease their impending divorce? Who knows?! The plot thickens when Ishpreet’s body is found in a car, and a teenager, Saquib, is arrested. Saquib’s friend, Naved, testifies that Ishpreet had come to deliver drugs to them, leading to an argument that resulted in Saquib allegedly drowning him in a fit of rage.

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Doubts Arise: Jass, unconvinced by the seemingly neat resolution, digs deeper. Her senior, Hardik Patel, insists the case is closed, but Jass’s investigation uncovers Saquib’s link to an earlier spurious drug case that left Hardik’s sister in a vegetative state. Hardik’s personal vendetta against Saquib complicates matters, prompting Jass to question the integrity of the investigation.

The Twist in Saquib’s Story: Under pressure, Saquib confesses to having argued with Ishpreet and ducking him in water but insists the boy was alive when he left. Saquib’s reluctance to fully open up stems from his secret relationship with Naved, fearing backlash from his conservative family if his sexuality were revealed. Turns out, Saquib is indeed innocent, and that Hardik Patel got a colleague to help him frame Saquib for Ishpreet’s murder as personal vendetta for his sister’s plight.

Other Suspects: The case presents alternative suspects, including a drug peddler, Tejinder “Syringe,” who humiliated Ishpreet publicly, and Ishpreet’s adoptive father, Daljeet, who was drowning in debt but stood to gain a hefty insurance payout from his son’s death.

Ending Explained: Jass zeroes in on Daljeet as her primary suspect, but the case takes an unexpected turn when Daljeet murders Prithvi, a relative who was sexually harassing Preeti. While Daljeet admits to killing Prithvi, he vehemently denies involvement in Ishpreet’s murder, insisting he loved his son deeply.

The breakthrough comes when a search of Prithvi’s home uncovers Ishpreet’s missing bag and reveals that Prithvi had been communicating with Preeti via a burner phone. Preeti confesses she was having an affair with Prithvi and had manipulated him into killing Ishpreet. Her motives were personal—resentment towards Daljeet for adopting Ishpreet without consulting her and frustration over being relegated to the role of a housemaid. To cover her tracks, Preeti staged a scenario to provoke Daljeet into killing Prithvi, eliminating a loose end.

The film concludes with Preeti’s arrest as she attempts to flee the country. Jass ensures justice is served for Ishpreet, while also beginning to confront her own grief, taking the first steps toward healing from her son’s death.

With its dark twists and morally complex characters, The Buckingham Murders examines grief, guilt, and the lengths people go to when their lives spiral out of control. The film’s resolution ties together its web of secrets.

How To Train Your Dragon Teaser: Toothless is Awwdorable!

OMG! My first reaction to the idea of a live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon was—who the hell asked for that? The 2010 animated film is pure perfection, a solid 5 out of 5, and it doesn’t need any copies. And I kept thinking ‘nope, not interested in the live-action remake’ in the first few seconds of the teaser unveiled by Universal Pictures, but as soon as the CGI version of Toothless (the dragon) appeared on screen, all my skepticism melted away, he looks EXACTLY like the animated dragon, with beautiful green eyes and is just the cutest baby dragon.

“I AM GOING TO WATCH IT JUST FOR TOOTHLESS,” I told myself as the teaser continued with the scene of protagonist Hiccup, a Viking teen, having his first encounter with the black dragon. From the teaser trailer, it looks like the 2025 film is shaping up to be a very faithful, scene-by-scene adaptation. Gen Z and Gen Alpha will be the primary target audience, while older fans will need to decide if they want to experience the same story with real actors and CGI dragons. Like I said—Toothless, the dragon, looks incredibly well-crafted in the short teaser glimpse, and if they’ve successfully captured his adorable charm from the animated version, it’s going to be a huge win.

Dean DeBlois, the director of the original animated classic, returns to helm the live-action reboot of How to Train Your Dragon. Gerard Butler reprises his role as Stoick the Vast, Hiccup’s formidable yet loving father, while Mason Thames (The Black Phone, Incoming) steps into the role of Hiccup. The story follows Hiccup, a brave and inventive Viking teen, as he challenges his tribe’s long-standing beliefs, proving that humans and dragons can coexist as allies rather than enemies.

The film is set to release in theaters on June 13. Watch the teaser below.

Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Episode 7 Review

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“Did you just subtly reject me?”

“Let’s be real, I’ve been more or less rejecting you this whole time”

Kirishima is getting no assurances from Yoshino about his ‘love’, instead, she is pretty sure she might have to move back to Osaka for college. But that’s still not stopping him from flirting, or accompanying her everywhere, almost like a bodyguard. Had he been a regular teenager, ‘lovesick pup’ would’ve been the right phrase, but very little about Kirishima is pup-like! Yoshino keeps calling him a ‘psycho’ for a reason.

For Plot Overview Read: Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Episode 1 Review

Titled “If You’re Indifferent, Then I’d Rather Be Hated Part 2,” episode 7 of Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii begins with the protagonists heading to Osaka on a train. For those who haven’t read the manga and are rooting for Kirishima and Yoshino to get together ASAP, there’s good news—they sort of go on a date. Sort of. Also, remember how in episode 6, Kirishima took an old handmade keychain from Yoshino’s childhood room as a keepsake? Well, she gives him a new handmade one, and his eyes light up in a slightly crazy way, like he’s just received a wedding ring! L-O-L.

The bulk of this episode focuses on Kirishima’s ex-girlfriend Nao, who finds herself in a tight spot with another toxic ex and is forced to drag Kirishima into the messy situation she’s gotten herself into. This time, Yoshino gets involved too! Shoma, the other good-looking guy in Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii, advises her not to meddle in Kirishima’s business unless she’s ready to take things seriously with him. But, of course, Yoshino has a mind of her own and isn’t about to listen to anyone.

This is an interesting edition, once again featuring sub-plots that makes the characters feel too old to be just high-school seniors. But otherwise, there’s some romance, a lot of drama, and a decent amount of intrigue to keep you hooked until the end.

You can watch the series on Crunchyroll.

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Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions Episode 20 Review

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Alright, we can all agree we know who “Hummingbird—the talent kidnapper” is, right? But how on earth did he manage to make the genius composer Nyonyon vanish from the tower room, with Toto guarding it’s only entry-exit point and the windows being way too high to jump from without serious injury?! It’s as if the composer vanished into thin air—and that’s the cliffhanger Episode 19 of ‘Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions’ left viewers with.

So, episode 20 starts with the senior cop in-charge of Nyonyon’s security sweating in shock after realizing Nyonyon was kidnapped from right under his nose. Both Toto and Nyonyon’s manager are in shock too, while our genius detective Ron is the only one who is absolutely calm, and even a tiny bit amused at the perplexing situation. The forbidden deductions are already taking place in his head guys, we can only wait for final solution!

This episode was surprisingly tense, with Ron’s unwavering commitment to wearing his salmon-pink apron throughout the chaos providing the only touch of humor. The revelation about why the Hummingbird – Talent Kidnapper was targeting geniuses from different fields was completely over-the-top and unexpectedly dramatic. While I didn’t enjoy this chapter as much as some of the other cases, Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions has firmly become my comfort anime now, so no matter what kind of cases Ron and Toto take on, it’s always entertaining.

Stream the series (Kamonohashi Ron no Kindan Suiri) on Netflix or CrunchyRoll

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Hot Frosty: Dustin Milligan Brings ‘Encino Man’ Vibe to Holiday Love

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Well, at least this Christmas offering is faithful to its playful title – it’s all about a hot snow-sculpture that comes to life.

Created by Jerry Ciccoritti (director) and Russell Hainline (writer), the 2024 movie Hot Frosty follows Kathy Barrett (Lacey Chabert), a grieving widow who runs a cozy café and has lost her faith in love and ‘happily ever after’ endings. But when she wraps a beautiful scarf around a snowman, it magically comes to life—as a handsome young man (Dustin Milligan). Jack, the living snowman, helps Kathy rediscover the joy of sharing, caring, and loving during Christmas.

When Jack comes to life, he’s completely naked except for the beautiful scarf conveniently covering his family jewels (shoutout to Dan Da Dan for re-introducing me to that phrase). His washboard abs hit the screen like the first snowfall of the year. However, Jack is quickly spotted by an elderly couple, and soon the local cops—Sheriff Nathaniel Hunter (Craig Robinson) and Deputy Ed (Joe Lo Truglio)—are after him for streaking and stealing clothes. Luckily, Kathy finds him first. Mistaking him for a scantily dressed drifter with mental health issues, she names him Jack and advises him to keep a low profile.

But Jack, a cheery adult-baby and a true “Christmas miracle,” can’t keep low and loves helping everyone around him, befriending all the elderly ladies in town and assisting the local school with its decorations. Yet the question remains: will Jack be arrested for streaking, simply melt away, or find a way to make a lasting romance with Kathy possible?

For a light Christmas romance, Hot Frosty is quite fun in the first half, especially when Jack learns the ways of being human and immediately tells Kathy, “I love you,” on his very first day, for giving him food. He is like a stray one rescues from the street. “No, you don’t love me. People don’t fall in love so quickly,” Kathy patiently teaches him. It takes time to warm up to Jack, in some bits Dustin Milligan’s portrayal of a snowman-turned-human reminded me of Brendan Fraser’s 1992 comedy Encino Man, about a frozen caveman learning the ways of the modern world—a movie I hadn’t thought about in years! Like Encino Man, I wish this film had focused more on friendship than romance, as the interactions between Kathy and Jack feel more sibling-like than romantic. Kathy’s maternal approach to teaching Jack the ways of the world would have made for a heartwarming story about how friendship can heal emotional wounds—especially since the romance is confined to just a few days around Christmas.

The climactic moments of Hot Frosty are cringey, the romance doesn’t land right, but the film delivers plenty of comedic highlights. Craig Robinson and Joe Lo Truglio are hilarious as the bumbling cop duo chasing Jack around town. If you’re in the mood for a Hallmark-style Christmas movie—lighthearted and entertaining for a one-time watch—Hot Frosty fits the bill. It might not melt your heart, but it’ll certainly give you a few laughs.

Rating: 5.5/10. Hot Frosty is streaming now on Netflix.

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Devara Movie Review: Skip the Plot, Watch Jr NTR Dance

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Is it a flying fish? A leaping frog? A mythical merman? No, it’s Jr N.T. Rama Rao’s Devara! Who springs out of the sea in his introductory scene, like he is Aquaman himself, without Jason Mamoa’s God-Bod. You’d think Devara is a demi-god like Amarendra Baahubali, destined to be the king of a great kingdom, but no, Devara is a village chieftain who moonlights as a smuggler in the night. The sixteen minute long build-up to Devara’s entry scene is over-dramatic, just to deliver an over-exaggerated choreographed heist, where a bunch of men in four boats slyly steal a 4 huge boxes of cargo from a huge container ship, while an inspection is going onboard the vessel. Because they are all not just aquamen, but also stealthy spidermen, or the inspection guys are totally useless and deaf.

Directed and written by Koratala Siva, Devara stars Jr NTR as Devara, a smuggler turned reformer who vows to put an end to illegal activities in his fictional village by the sea. But this change of heart doesn’t sit well with his former partner-in-crime, Bhaira (Saif Ali Khan), leading to bloodshed. After a violent clash, Devara disappears, swearing to keep the seas smuggling-free, leaving his legacy in the hands of his gentle son, Vara (also played by N.T. Rama Rao Jr.). Can Vara rise to the challenge and protect their fishing village from falling into the hands of smugglers once more?

It’s pretty evident that Koratala Siva was trying to deliver a mash of something between blockbusters like ‘RRR’ and ‘Bahubali’, while trying to make it seem like a completely different movie. And yes, Devara is indeed a different film—but it’s also overly padded, overstretched, formulaic, and it’s hard to believe this is just Devara Part 1! The film’s strength lies in Jr NTR’s spirited performance as the father-son duo Devara and Vara, two slightly different personalities, that the star sells convincingly (except for that mermaid-like jump in the intro scene).

Saif Ali Khan is both intimidating and entertaining as the villainous Bhaira. However, for Bollywood fans familiar with Saif’s voice, the dubbing by P. Ravi Shankar feels a bit off. On the other hand, brownie points to Janhvi Kapoor (Ulajh/Mr & Mrs Mahi), who plays Vara’s love interest, Thangam—she delivers her own dialogues with impressive conviction, despite not being a native Telugu speaker. Though her brief role is mostly eye-candy, she’s completely at ease in her Tollywood debut (unlike how mechanical Katrina Kaif sounded when she first started out in Hindi films).

The cinematography in Devara is overly bleak at times, but at least it has some foot-tapping songs. In a crime-action-thriller like this, song-and-dance sequences can usually feel like irritants, but here, they’re actually a relief because the plot is so predictably dull. The tracks are way more entertaining—especially ‘Daavudi,’ where Janhvi goes toe-to-toe with the energetic Jr NTR, and you can tell they’re just having a blast dancing together.

There’s no comedy in the script, which is fine; however, for a crime drama, it takes itself so theatrically seriously that its self-importance teeters on the edge of both ludicrousness and melodrama. This is essentially a shallow, mass-masala movie meant to woo Jr NTR fans. There is no way I am watching a part 2!

Rating: 2 on 5 stars. You can watch Devara Part 1 on Netflix.

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