Deva ending explained: Who kills whom in Shahid Kapoor's Mumbai Police remake and why?

Deva, one of the most anticipated films in 2025, finally hit the big screen on Friday, January 31. After constant denial from the makers even after the release of the trailer, it is finally confirmed that Shahid Kapoor's action-thriller is indeed the remake of the 2013 Malayalam blockbuster Mumbai Police, helmed by the same director, Rosshan Andrrews. Interestingly, Bobby-Sanjay, who penned the original screenplay, also wrote the film. Now that Deva is out, let's find out how the film is different from Mumbai Police and how similar it is!

Opening scene: Dev's injury and amnesia

The film opens with a visibly shocked Dev (Shahid Kapoor) riding a bike through a tunnel. He informs someone by phone that he has found the culprit. The nature of the case remains unknown to us at this time. Then, in an incident that might or might not have been an accident, he is dragged over the asphalt. His wounds are quite serious. In another scenario, the locals celebrate his "demise." However, it turns out that he survives, albeit with brain damage-induced amnesia.

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The husband of Dev's sister, Farhan (Pravessh Rana), who is Dev's boss as the DCP, also gives him his discharge from the hospital a few days later. Farhan informs Dev that he is going to reveal Rohan's (Pavail Gulatie) killer's identity right before the disaster. Thus, this revelation serves as the focal point of the entire plot. Because it is non-linear, the narration constantly jumps around from one scene to another. Manish Wadhwa portrays Prashant Yadav, a mobster the Mumbai Police aim to apprehend.

Dev's backstory and relationship with Rohan

Rohan's family has always been rich and Dev's has always been poor. The flashbacks show that, despite his honesty and integrity as a police officer, he has somehow been friends with the titular character since their childhood. During a city blockade, a politician becomes aggressive and refuses to let police officers, led by Rohan, examine his car. Taking Rohan to the politician's house for the car key, Dev watches the scene unfold from a distance as Rohan cowers in fear. Without much fanfare, Dev shows up and publicly shames the politician in front of everyone.

A newspaper's top page features this story, which says that Dev is just like the mafia. A woman named Diya (Pooja Hegde), who is also Dev's constable's daughter, writes the piece. She informs Dev that she cannot endure the harshness of the police, yet her beauty instantly captivates him.

The authorities later learn of Yadav's whereabouts. They reach a deserted planet, only to discover it was a trap all along. An explosion leaves Diya's father with serious injuries.

Police's search for Yadav

Everyone now thinks Yadav has an accomplice working for him inside the Mumbai Police. On numerous instances, just as the cops were ready to apprehend him, he deftly evaded them, as if he were aware they were on their way. Police officers receive a tip on his whereabouts and go equipped with bulletproof vests in one such operation to apprehend him. However, the residents are quite welcoming to Yadav, and they even mobbed and attacked them.

But Rohan chases after Yadav as he runs away, yet he manages to overcome him during the altercation. Dev rushes over and shoots Yadav, believing Rohan should take the credit for the encounter. With some reluctance, Rohan does. He receives a gallantry medal during a ceremony that takes place on Maharashtra Day. An unseen shooter shoots and kills him just a few minutes into his acceptance speech.

Dev's revelation as Rohan's murderer

Thus, the major revelation at the conclusion is that Dev is the true murderer of Rohan. However, he has been amnestic ever since the accident; he has no recollection of murdering his best buddy. To be honest, he doesn't even know his own name. Farhan orders him to reopen the murder investigation into Rohan's death in order to follow up on the clues.

Now we know why Dev killed Rohan. It seems that Rohan had uncovered the fact that Dev had been Yadav's mole the entire time. Even though he shot the thug to death, it was more to clear his name than to save his pal. Dev confesses when Rohan confronts him. Rohan says he will reveal to the world what Dev did, and Dev cannot have that. With all his bravado, he is still a scared man inside. So he arranges for the murder. Before Maharashtra Day, he gets a sniper rifle on a tripod and installs a mechanism that would allow him to remotely fire the weapon from his phone. His amnesiac self discovers his culpability and that was Farhan's plan all along. He wanted to arrest him, but not before he would recall what he did.

Dev's motive for killing Rohan

But if Dev was indeed responsible for Rohan's death, why was he found guilty in the tunnel? We know that, too. He learnt from Rohan’s grieving fiancée that, in the full speech he was about to deliver, Rohan was actually going to credit Dev for Yadav’s "encounter" and was going to forgive him, talking about a second chance that Dev had earlier begged him to give. However, Dev was unaware of this and mistakenly believed that Rohan was preparing to expose him as the police mole. And that’s why Dev’s guilt and admission to Farhan, and that’s why the accident in the first scene.

In Mumbai Police too, the leading man, played by Prithviraj Sukumaran, kills his best friend, played by Jayasurya. But the reason is totally different. Towards the climax of the film, in a flashback sequence, we see that Prithviraj's character is homosexual and Jayasurya discovers it accidentally. The confrontation between them leaves the leading man in fear, and due to that, he decides to kill his best friend so that he doesn't tell the world his identity, which has been covered up by his arrogance and toxic masculinity.

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