Kuberaa Review : Mixes Emotional Drama with a Flawed Thriller

Kuberaa arrives at the cinemas as a Monsoon release. What is the movie like? Is it worth a watch? Telugu Funda tells you in detail!

Telugu Funda’s reveal of the Plot:

Deepak Tej (Akkineni Nagarjuna), a once-unyielding CBI officer, now languishes behind bars, framed and forgotten. His only yearning is to reunite with his loving wife-daughter duo, a dream that grows dimmer with each passing day. Enter Neeraj Mitra (Jim Sarbh), a slick, morally bankrupt magnate who dangles freedom in exchange for Deepak’s help in weaving a scandal so colossal it could help him become the country’s richest man. With no other path to liberty, Deepak grudgingly agrees. Along the way, he recruits Deva (Dhanush), a beggar whose innocence crumbles as he uncovers a world far darker and more treacherous than his worst nightmares.

Telugu Funda’s take on the Performances:

1. Dhanush: He makes the viewer genuinely believe in his journey from a simple beggar to someone profoundly affected by the unfolding treachery. This role offers him a strong opportunity to showcase his dramatic range, particularly in moments of emotional distress and dawning disillusionment.
2. Nagarjuna: He excels in playing a complex, morally compromised character. He is both a victim of injustice and a reluctant participant in further wrongdoing. This internal conflict is key to his performance.
3. Jim Sarbh: He has a knack for playing sophisticated, cunning, and often menacing antagonists. The dubbing, though, is underwhelming.
4. Rashmika Mandanna: As Sameera, someone who has fallen out of a relationship, she is below-average. She should have made her character look quirky.
5. Others: Harish Peradi as a political heavyweight is good. Sayaji Shinde has a short but consequential role as a cop.

Telugu Funda’s take on the Technical Output:

Devi Sri Prasad’s music is not a total winner. He tries to stylize many scenes but fails to do so. His forte is not stylization or dramatic music that fits action movies. So, his score works only in the emotional portions of Kuberaa. Niketh Bommi’s cinematography is top-class. The night scenes, especially those set in everyday places, are very good.

The production values are rich enough. The Mumbai backdrop looks genuine and necessary because of the uncompromising budget.

Telugu Funda’s take on the Merits:

1. Kuberaa is solidified by a rare storyline where characters are as different as they can get. Think of a beggar who has nothing to lose. Think of a billionaire who has everything to gain if his scandal pays dividends. Think of an ex-CBI officer whose intelligence can decide the fate of the billionaire.
2. The conversations, written by Sekhar Kammula and Chaithanya Pingali, are a plus.
3. The song situations are refreshing. Poyira Mama arrives at an unexpected time and involves, well, a dead body!
4. The climax is quite unpredictable. There are elements you least expect in the cat-and-mouse chase and the climax rounds off the whole drama.
5. The performances are flawless.

Telugu Funda’s take on the Demerits:

1. Kammula conceives the plot points around the gigantic scandal in a very amateurish manner. The excessive dependence on the ex-CBI officer feels unrealistic and even ridiculous. The billionaire doesn’t seem to have a Plan B.
2. For all we know, Kammula didn’t want to make a financial crime thriller. He wanted the movie to be an emotional semi-vigilante drama with some low-stake action scenes thrown in. But this is dissonant at best.

Telugu Funda’s Verdict:

Kuberaa shines brightest in its unconventional character dynamics and strong lead performances from Dhanush and Nagarjuna, alongside commendable cinematography. However, Sekhar Kammula’s handling of the core financial crime plot and the inconsistent genre blend dilute its potential, making it a film with significant merits but also noticeable demerits.

Rating: 3/5

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