Why Deva director Rosshan Andrrews' Mumbai Police is still a game-changer, as he gears up for Bollywood debut with Shahid Kapoor's film

When Rosshan Andrrews' Mumbai Police, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, burst onto the silver screen in 2013, it upended several notions of a star movie, emerging to be a truly path-breaking film. Now, the noted Malayalam director is foraying into Bollywood with Shahid Kapoor’s film Deva, which is set to release on January 31, 2025. Ahead of the much-anticipated Bollywood debut of Rosshan Andrrews, let’s rewind the clock and reminisce as to why Prithviraj-starrer Mumbai Police is still a game-changer.

Rosshan Andrrews' Mumbai Police with Prithviraj

Mumbai Police, directed by Rosshan Andrrews, also features Jayasurya and Rahman in the lead roles, along with Prithviraj. The film, inherently a thriller, is powered by the nearly impeccable writing of Bobby–Sanjay, who have previously collaborated with Rosshan on Notebook.

Mumbai Police is a standout film in Malayalam because of its final reveal which is both hard-hitting and poignant, as it dared to portray the lead hero as gay. This was in 2013, when queer representation on screen was caricaturish, to say the least.

Mumbai Police plot and why it is simply superb

Mumbai Police follows Assistant Commissioner of Police Antony Moses (Prithviraj) as he tries to track down the killer of his friend Aryan John (Jayasurya), who was also an ACP. Though he informs Commissioner Farhan (Rahman) that he has identified the killer, an accident leaves him with memory loss.

Rosshan Andrrews has done a commendable job as the film, with its interesting plot twists, keeps viewers fully engaged in the narrative as ACP Antony goes down his own path of investigation and figures out an answer that he had already unraveled. As the film moves back and forth between flashbacks, we realize that Antony, Aryan, and Farhan are all friends, known by the moniker of Mumbai Police (hence the title). The thrilling film, which packs several suspenseful moments, is also an ode to friendship.

One by one, ACP Antony peels the layers of mystery before the final act, which is arguably one of the best from Malayalam, reveals that Antony himself had arranged a sniper to kill Aryan at the gallantary function.

The reason for the shocking turn of events is that Aryan had walked in on Antony when he was with his boyfriend and the very thought that he would be outed as a ‘gay policeman’ made Antony do the unthinkable.

Both Rosshan Andrrews and Bobby-Sanjay should be lauded for effectively portraying the sensitive subject of homosexuality at a time when it was against the law. Needless to say, Prithviraj too deserves appreciation for saying yes to the project.

We need to remember that homosexuality was legalized in India only in 2018 after the Supreme Court's landmark judgment. That the director and writer duo could weave such a stigmatized topic into a thriller over a decade ago, talks volumes about their vision and mastery. 

Not just in their handling of the queer character, the director-writers should also be appreciated as the film suffers at no point because of it. The film stays true to its genre of a thriller, as we also realize that Commissioner Farhan knew from the beginning who the killer was, given that Antony made the reveal before the accident. He was looking for an answer to the why and led Antony along his path. 

We also know that Antony’s cruel behaviour was just a pretence to hide his real persona. 

However, the one grievance that certain sections had against the film was Antony having an emotional breakdown as he realizes that he is gay, thus sending out a wrong message.

But that apart, Mumbai Police has fewer flaws and is a compelling watch that is worth your attention for its highly engaging plot and stellar performances. You can watch Mumbai Police on Disney+ Hotstar.

Deva release

Meanwhile, Shahid Kapoor-starrer Deva gears up for its grand release on January 31. Pooja Hegde plays the female lead in the film, which also has Bobby-Sanjay as writers along with Hussain Dalal. Currently, all the buzz is around the trailer release which is expected to be unveiled on January 17, 2025 .

Also read | Most-anticipated Bollywood releases of January 2025: Emergency to Deva