- Date of Release: 20 June 2025
- Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Language: Telugu
- Watch On: Theatres Only
Kuberaa
Introduction
In cricketing terms, there is a term called ‘playing on the up’ – something that basically means anticipating the ball and still connecting it with as much precision. And that is exactly how I would describe the new Telugu film (with a Tamil bilingual release) Kuberaa. And the beauty of Kuberaa remains its self-aware writing that is bold while infusing it with such intrinsic themes, that has the power to grow on you. It might be easy to dismiss the film straight-away, but the more you think of the characters and the setting, the more you will understand a searing commentary on the class divide along with the power lobby that is prevalent in our society today. And here, the setting of Mumbai could not have been a better location to (primarily) stage the drama. The fact that the film is (majorly) shot across Mumbai, and at actual locations, makes it even more realistic given how the city is home to people belonging to different classes in the truest sense. Right from a poor man on the road to the mighty rich sitting in their comfy penthouses, the diversity in classism is unlike anything that I may have seen in my lifetime. With tall building overlooking ghettos, the gap between the lowest common denominator to the highest common denominator, is expertly showcased straight up in the drama, that has so much to offer in terms of its themes while mostly being grounded with its narrative (unlike a regular Telugu film which is over-the-top).
Story & Screenplay
One of the most fascinating aspects of the drama remains its characterization. When you are first introduced to Neeraj (Jim Sarbh), you see a vily man scheming for power after his workers discover precious oil at an oil rig. Soon power dynamics kick in with a deal with a local politician followed by a staged ‘accident’, wherein clearly you see him being least bothered about collateral damage. And a thing to be noted straight up is the underlying theme of capitalism which is prevalent in every industry – with labourers being treated as bonded slaves, and collateral damage is instantly forgotten within days (a recent death of a techie is not discussed any more after an initial furore).
Likewise, when you are introduced to the character of Deepak (Nagarjuna Akkineni), you see an honest upper middle class CBI officer in jail for a deed that he didn’t commit. And when Neeraj approaches him for a chore in exchange for freedom, you witness the morality of a character that is intact, when Deepak instantly refuses the offer. But in the next breath, a telling blow on Deepak’s integrity and belief in the system is challenged, forcing him to join forces with Neeraj. The commentary here remains two fold – one being of the super rich using folks from relatively lower stratas of the society for a larger profitability (with their fate depending on where they stand in the food chain). And secondly, the upper middle class is generally a pawn of the system while having to deal with a dilemma of their own, as seen with Deepak who is constantly in a battle with his conscience when lower class folks hand-picked by him, suddenly begin to ‘disappear’.
The clutch character is in the form of Devaa (Dhanush), a beggar who represents the lowest common denominator of the film. His gains are limited, his choices are negligible, and his appearance of an unshaven beard and long hair makes him instantly repulsive to look at. But the makers wish the viewers to stress on this exact same point – a theme of poverty that is frequently addressed through his character. In an early scene, you see him witnessing a fellow beggar being runover by a car, only for him to run behind the vehicle in efforts that are futile. But the biggest issue remains the cremation of the deceased, wherein Devas doesn’t have money only to arrange a makeshift setup in a tingling moment of pity. The arc of this very scene is shown in the second hour, wherein Devaa goes in a state of trance while giving a send-off to a deceased just because he now has some money with him. Ironically, he is named after a God who can be seen as a protector or even a loyalist, wherein a character compares him to an elephant (again a reference to God) while stating on how he would even take a bullet for a person that he ‘trusts’.
You are also introduced to the character of Sameera (Rashmika Mandanna), and the platonic bond that she shares with Devaa while being a medium of support to him throughout his journey in the second hour. Interestingly, you can associate Sameera as a character belonging to the lower middle class, who is doing marginally better than Devaa but always under the power lobby of Neeraj and Deepak to an extent. In a searing scene, you see Sameera asking for money from Devaa, only for Devaa to give her a box of ‘savings’ from a supposedly deceased friend of his, who would follow the suit of death much like his two other peers. But here, the emphasis lies on the large-heartedness of Devaa who is struggling for money himself, while still willing to give that money to Sameera for his hospital treatment. In a prior scene, despite being stranded in an alien place, you see Sameera helping out Devaa to get food and shelter, a trait that blurred the boundaries of classism between both characters.
There is a slight religious angle to the drama, which indirectly erupts in the form of testing the temperament of Devaa once he gets a lump sum of money, whilst being on the run. The form of karma with respect to his love for dogs, also comes around in the form of animals acting as saviors, that complete the arc for him. Having said that, the second hour becomes slightly sloppy with the geography of the city (trains from Cotton Green station don’t go to Churchgate; autos don’t go to Mahalaxmi).
Even the repetitiveness of the drama couldn’t be discounted in the second hour wherein the entire classism angle was slightly overpowered by a cat and mouse chase. But even in this passage of play, you see the power lobby tilt with respect to a few characters wherein realisation kicks in. There are a few emotional moments too – for instance, a new born of a beggar is a sole owner of a lot of money suddenly. This, whilst the pre-climax reduces the antagonist to the life of a lowest common denominator, two arcs that play out in reverse. But there is still a stutter right at the end in a realistic but largely underwhelming climax that didn’t exactly stick for me. Yet, the screenplay comprising of its themes and characterization is so powerful and grounded in reality, that the impact of the screenplay is intact!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues tagged to every character exhibit a sense of socialism while triggering a debate on classism across various scenes. The music is good but the BGM by DSP (Devi Sri Prasad) is absolutely stellar. We often talk about the likes of Jakes Bejoy understanding the world of the drama perfectly. Here DSP does the same, even as his beats range from emotional to peppy while always hitting the mark with respect to the notes that he flaunts. The BGM also does enough in elevating the drama and the impact of the scenes at various instances. The cinematography offers frames with a searing colour grading that goes perfectly in sync with the themes of the drama. From pale blue hues that depict a sense of gloom in a city like Mumbai, to pops of colours when depicting places of worship, you see the different moods of gloom and hope co-existing in the drama.
The editing was a bit of a concern here given that a runtime of more than 3 hours was not quite justified for a drama tackling a subject like this. The lags in the second hour deter the film from entering a space of greatness in the drama. Director Sekhar Kammula has a unique sensibility that could be termed as an opposite tide of an over-the-top entertainers that are being dished out by the Telugu film industry. You notice the grounded nature of the drama and its characters who are supremely believable, and quite honestly like individuals that we see around us. Yes, there are a few commercial tropes along the way but nothing extravagent that would detach you, or take you away from the drama. The direction is bold too, even while exploring intrinsic themes along the way, and that is what makes Sekhar special and far different from his other contemporaries. The direction remains stellar while briefly faltering at the end (something that also transpired during his previous release, Love Story (2021)).
Performances
The performances are stellar by the members of the cast. While the likes of Sunaina as Deepa, Sayaji Shinde as SI Ashok and Dalip Tahil, have their moments to shine, Saurav Khurana as Robo remains insanely infuriating with his antics which means he was stellar to witness here! Rashmika Mandanna as Sameera is wonderfully understated while being superbly organic with her approach to her character. There is a genuine sense of warmth that she exudes in a job really well done. Jim Sarbh as Neeraj is immensely menacing, and he utilizes his body language so efficiently that he manages to lift his performance beyond a character that might seem generic on paper. Nagarjuna Akkineni as Deepak is nicely understated and grounded in a performance that remains well measured. It is always nice to witness superstars willing to shed their image and commit to the vision of the filmmaker. The star of the show for me remains Dhanush who has an astonishing transformation to begin with. His getup is instantly repulsive that actually makes him look like a beggar. And you see a naive and innocent streak tagged to his character throughout, despite having faced situations that have taught him to survive in life. This in many ways, remained a complex character with complex emotions that was played to absolute perfection by Dhanush. It is a sign of an actor treading the path of greatness!
Conclusion
Despite faltering at the finishing line, Kuberaa is a bold take on classism which is backed by instrinsic themes, stellar character studies and superb performances that makes for a pretty solid watch. Available in a theatre near you.
