Devi Movie Review
দেবী
Recommended
9 of 9 critics recommend it · average rating 3.6 out of 5
Includes 6 BMR estimates (the critic gave no stars), weighted at 60%. How this works
IMDb viewers: 7.8/10 (3,601 votes) · Top Bengali films on IMDb
The audience score shows at 3 ratings. Rate it · Where they disagree
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The story
A devout upper-class Hindu has a vision in a dream that his daughter-in-law is the human incarnation of the Goddess Kali and begins worshipping her.
Directed by Satyajit Ray. Starring Sharmila Tagore, Soumitra Chatterjee, Chhabi Biswas, Karuna Banerjee, Purnendu Mukherjee, Arpan Chowdhury.
BMR's take on Devi
- Critics agree onMost critics agree that the film benefits greatly from strong lead performances and a compelling atmosphere.
- Where they splitCritics disagree on the narrative impact, with some praising its thematic power while others cite pacing and editing flaws.
- Watch it ifFans of historical dramas and atmospheric storytelling
Worked out automatically from the 9 reviews on this page. This is BMR's reading, not any one critic's.
Devi movie review: what critics say (9)
How to read the score
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5.0/5BMR estimate
Larry Mercurio · Medium · 17 Mar 2025
“The critic praised the haunting atmosphere and brilliant lead performance, noting that the movie explores the tragic destruction of a young woman through blind, obsessive family devotion.”
Read full review ↗Why this score?
The critic gave no star rating, so BMR estimated one from the words of the review. The critic praises the film as a masterfully restrained tragedy with brilliant acting and precise cinematography, and explicitly awards it a five-star rating. There are no criticisms offered in the review. How estimates work
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3.0/5BMR estimate
Ami Keu Na · নিশাচর · 19 Jan 2020
“The adaptation features strong performances from the lead cast and commendable camerawork, though some editing flaws and underdeveloped character dynamics slightly hinder the overall narrative impact.”
Read full review ↗Why this score?
The critic gave no star rating, so BMR estimated one from the words of the review. The critic praises the strong acting from select cast members, good cinematography, and a wonderful supernatural concluding visual, but criticizes several editing flaws, specific weak performances, and a confusing ending for non-readers. These balanced positive and negative elements result in a mixed leaning positive verdict. How estimates work
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4.0/5BMR estimate
Sritama Mitra · OneIndia Bangla · 3 Mar 2020
“The reviewer praised the short film for powerfully highlighting universal violence against women across all backgrounds, though the narrative style remained its main focus.”
Read full review ↗Why this score?
The critic gave no star rating, so BMR estimated one from the words of the review. The critic praises the short film for its powerful storytelling and compelling message about women's safety and the universal pain of rape. However, the review focuses more on the societal issues and real-world tragedies highlighted by the film rather than offering a detailed critique of its cinematic qualities, leading to a strong positive rating with some reservations about the overall scope. How estimates work
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4.5/5BMR estimate
Ashley Hajimirsadeghi · 10 Jul 2026
“This brilliant historical drama captures period details beautifully and offers a compelling critique of society, though the provided text lacks a formal score.”
Why this score?
The critic gave no star rating, so BMR estimated one from the words of the review. The critic praises the film as another brilliant Satyajit Ray work with beautiful historical capture and nuanced societal critiques, noting only that it offers a straightforward narrative. This strongly positive assessment lands firmly on the excellent tier. How estimates work
Read full review ↗Ashley Hajimirsadeghi on Satyajit Ray's other films: 5.0 average over 1 film
Critics overall gave the same films 4.6. Ashley Hajimirsadeghi's usual rating across 3 films is 4.5. Extra context only; it does not change any score.
- Aparajito 5.0 (all critics 4.6)
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3.0/5BMR estimate
Srinivasa Ramanujam · The Hindu · 7 Oct 2016
“This engaging horror movie features a cleverly crafted plot and spirited lead performances, although excessive dancing occasionally dampens the scares.”
Read full review ↗Why this score?
The critic gave no star rating, so BMR estimated one from the words of the review. The critic praises the film as an engaging horror-comedy with spirited performances and a craftily worked-out plot, but criticizes the overdoes of dance and frolic that takes away the thrills. This balanced mix of positive elements and clear flaws leads to a mixed, leaning positive verdict. How estimates work
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3.0/5BMR estimate
Balaji Music · CinemaGlitz.com · 8 Oct 2016
“The lead actors deliver strong performances and genuinely funny moments, but the uneven storytelling suffers from a sluggish opening half and a rushed conclusion.”
Read full review ↗Why this score?
The critic gave no star rating, so BMR estimated one from the words of the review. The critic highlights strong performances, good comedy in the second half, and neat technical values, but criticizes the rushed pacing and very plain first half. This balance of genuine entertainment mixed with clear structural flaws results in a solid three-star rating, which is also explicitly printed in the text. How estimates work
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4.0/5
Shubham Kulkarni · Koimoi · 11 Mar 2020
Read full review ↗ -
3.0/5
M Suganth · Times of India · 8 Oct 2016
Read full review ↗ -
3.0/5
Only Kollywood · 7 Oct 2016
Read full review ↗
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The verdict in short
What critics say
3.6/5Devi captivates audiences with its haunting atmosphere, strong lead performances, and striking period details that offer a compelling critique of society. While critics like Larry Mercurio praised the brilliant acting and tragic themes, others such as Balaji Music pointed out flaws including uneven storytelling, a sluggish opening half, and a rushed conclusion. Opinions on the narrative execution vary significantly, ranging from powerful thematic highlights to minor editing issues. Overall, viewers appreciate the strong acting and atmospheric direction despite pacing concerns.
- AgreeMost critics agree that the film benefits greatly from strong lead performances and a compelling atmosphere.
- Praisedperformances (3)
- SplitCritics disagree on the narrative impact, with some praising its thematic power while others cite pacing and editing flaws.
- Best forFans of historical dramas and atmospheric storytelling
Highest 5.0/5 BMR estimate · Larry Mercurio · Medium
“The critic praised the haunting atmosphere and brilliant lead performance, noting that the movie explores the tragic destruction of a young woman through blind, obsessive”
Read the review ↗
Lowest 3.0/5 · Only Kollywood
Read the review ↗
How is this worked out?
I reached this conclusion by synthesizing the recurring praise for lead performances and atmosphere alongside common criticisms regarding pacing and storytelling structure.
Summary written by AI from the review excerpts and scores. Updated 2 weeks ago.
What viewers say
Nobody has rated Devi yet. Be the first. The audience score appears once 3 viewers have rated it.
How is this worked out?
Too few ratings for a fair audience score.
Automatic summary from the scores and review excerpts. Updated 3 weeks ago.
Cast and crew
Sharmila TagoreDoyamoyee
Soumitra ChatterjeeUmaprasad
Chhabi BiswasKalikinkar Roy
Karuna BanerjeeHarasundari- Purnendu MukherjeeTaraprasad
- Arpan ChowdhuryKhoka
Anil ChatterjeeBhudeb- Mohammed IsrailNibaran
- Kali SarkarProfessor Sarkar
- Khagesh ChakravartiKaviraj
- Bholanath Koyal
- Shanta DeviSarala
- Director
- Satyajit Ray
- Music directors
- Ramprasad Sen, Ali Akbar Khan
- Writers
- Satyajit Ray, Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay
- Cinematographer
- Subrata Mitra
- Editor
- Dulal Dutta
- Producer
- Satyajit Ray
What else the data says
- DirectorSatyajit Ray's other 22 scored films here average 4.0 out of 5.
- Lead actorSharmila Tagore's other 7 scored films here average 4.0 out of 5.
Questions about Devi
Is Devi worth watching?
Devi has a BMR score of 3.6 out of 5 (Recommended), calculated from 9 scored reviews. This includes 6 labelled BMR estimates for reviews without published star ratings; those numbers are our interpretations, not ratings given by the critics. The score uses weighted averaging; read the original reviews to decide whether it suits you.
What do critics say about Devi?
3 collected reviews give published critic ratings, ranging from 3.0 to 4.0 out of 5. Another 6 reviews have labelled BMR estimates rather than ratings supplied by their authors. Follow the original review links above for each critic's reasoning.
Is Devi a hit or a flop?
BMR does not yet have enough verified collection and budget data to give Devi a box office verdict.
What is the box office collection of Devi?
BMR has not yet verified an India net collection figure for Devi. This is a gap in our records, not a claim that no figures have been published. The collection page shows the source and any available day-wise breakdown.
When did Devi release?
Devi released in cinemas on 19 February 1960.
Who is in the cast of Devi?
The cast of Devi includes Sharmila Tagore, Soumitra Chatterjee, Chhabi Biswas, Karuna Banerjee, Purnendu Mukherjee, Arpan Chowdhury.
Who directed Devi? Who wrote it?
Devi is directed by Satyajit Ray. It is written by Satyajit Ray and Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay.
Where can I watch Devi online? Is Devi on OTT?
Devi released in cinemas on 19 February 1960. BMR has not yet verified its current streaming availability. A missing listing here does not mean an OTT release has not happened.
What is Devi about?
A devout upper-class Hindu has a vision in a dream that his daughter-in-law is the human incarnation of the Goddess Kali and begins worshipping her.
How long is Devi? What is the runtime?
Devi is listed at 1h 39m.