"Devara: Part 1," the excellent yet well-known Telugu-language Indian action drama and the leading man vehicle for "RRR" co-lead N.T. Rama Rao Jr., is beset by several unresolved issues. First of all, is this melodramatic drama with a nautical theme really necessary to be the first in a series, and will the much-discussed promise of a sequel satisfy anyone other than NTR's fans? It's difficult to tell in any scenario, and not because "Devara: Part 1" doesn't offer enough information.Let me start with some positive news. Writer/director Kortala Siva (“Acharya”) succeeds at making his ensemble cast, including Saif Ali Khan and Janhvi Kapoor, look amazing, especially during meme-ready action scenes and dance pieces. It's also difficult to claim that the 176-minute film is overly long or too plodding because the plot develops at such a measured pace. This leads me to the unfortunate news.Too often, "Devara: Part 1's" standard plot devices and twists are undemanding and comfortable, which prevents the film from being truly successful. While variations on well-known themes aren't always bad, it may grow annoying when you're watching a massive pirate drama that frequently switches from gratuitous to satisfying gestures—often in the same scene.The majority of "Devara: Part 1" is shown as a dramatized cautionary tale for a group of unfortunate Bombay police officers who, in 1996, try to scam their way into a society of butch seamen. It's easy to forget and doesn't really matter in the end.Singappa (Prakash Raj), a local storyteller, praises Devara (Rao) and then Vara (his son), both of whom lead a divided group of peasants close to the Ratnagiri mountains. The community's primary source of money for a period is piracy, as demonstrated in an exaggerated but fitfully exuberant opening scene in which Rao launches out of the water in slow-motion like he’s the second coming of Esther Williams. Eventually, Devara changes his mind about piracy after learning more about the guns he and his crew smuggle for shifty middleman Muruga (Murali Sharma).Interpersonal tensions occasionally flare between Devara, a selfless fighter and commander, and his stereotypically antagonistic competitor, Bhaira (Khan). They fight to a standstill during an annual weapons ritual, where four muscular men duke it out to decide which of their four communities will hold a stash of weapons.It takes a moment for even this opening brawl to get going, but once Devara and Bhair tie their wrists together and alternately slam each other into different hard surfaces, it does. "Devara: Part 1" is a decent enough watch in the first half thanks to this and a few other more traditional delights.Before the pre-intermission break, the film merely reaches a dramatic apex. The plot meanders rather than sprints ahead. At this moment, the focus of the drama shifts from the conflict between Devara and Bhaira to Vara, who is now an adult and the awkward heir to his father's legacy.The film's latter half sometimes lives up to its original potential, particularly when the rather bashful Vara attempts to step into his father's enormous shoes.Thus, how urgently do we require "Devara: Part 2"? A lot of what you might expect from an action-musical about a group of violent but morally upright pirates is nevertheless delivered by Siva and his colleagues, even though they infrequently push their endearing ensemble cast to venture outside of their comfort zones.A spectacular follow-up to this mediocre tentpole riser could be in store. Additionally, it can crumble under the weight of the viewers' realistic expectations.