Kuberaa

Kuberaa is a decent movie overall. If I had to put it simply in one line, that's it. The performances are top notch, but the characters aren't very strong. Cinematography, storytelling, visuals and all technical stuff is really good, but the story gets boring. It's more than 3 hours long and starts feeling draggy. There's no real excitement in the movie, it just goes smoothly without any scene that stands out. Instead of love, the movie talks more about humanity - shows one side of the story from a beggar's perspective with a human touch. One good thing is Dhanush's acting, he was excellent and even without heroism or mass elements, his character felt real. Rashmika's role felt wasted. Overall it's a normal watch with some disappointment.

I had no expectations for Kuberaa because I didn't like Sekhar Kammula's recent movies-the last one I liked was 'Life Is Beautiful' back in 2012.

But to my surprise, I enjoyed Kuberaa. I decided to like the film in the first 30 minutes itseld because it wastes no time and dives straight into the movie's plot and establishes the equation between the antagonist and the two protagonists very clearly.

The first half is really good, with no big issues. The second half is also good because more of the story is revealed here, but it's a bit less interesting since it moves slower, has some clichés before the end, and the ending is just average.

Dhanush is great as usual-no one else could play his character. Nagarjuna is good, but he could be better; I'm not sure if it's his acting or the way his character was written, but something felt off, especially in the second half. Still, I'm glad he's doing roles that fit his age. Jim Sarbh is very good in his part. Rashmika is good too, and you can see she tried hard, especially in the real dumpyard scenes. DSP's music is okay.

Overall, Kuberaa could have been better but I was satisfied and happy that Sekhar Kammula is still in the race and he is not dated yet. Especially I liked how he shot realistic backstories of Deva and Dipya - this added some originality and authenticity to the charecters and the movie.

The film feels fresh and good overall, but it still carries some cliché baggage-especially when it comes to the villains. The hero's character, though, is rare and really interesting. The first half is very good and the second half graph goes down.

It's a long ride-some scenes are fantastic, some drag like a Monday morning, and the rest are just... there. Dialogues feel pretty generic, nothing that sticks.

Dhanush absolutely nails it-can't imagine anyone else in that role. Nagarjuna looks cool and plays a refreshing part; he does a decent job.

It could've been even better if they had swapped Rashmika with Sunaina, she brought real talent to a tiny role, while Rashmika had a better role but didn't quite bring it to life.

Music fits well, cinematography looks great, and the production design is top-class-very natural and detailed. Direction is good too. Shekhar Kammula experiments a bit but still sticks to his usual flavor.

It's a good film-not a must-watch classic, but definitely not a flop either. Had the potential to be great, but missed the mark by a bit. Whether to catch it in theatres, wait for OTT, or skip it-totally your call.

What if billions of dollars in oil reserves could make or break a nation's future? Kuberaa opens with this tantalizing premise, weaving a web of financial espionage where CBI officers, corrupt businessmen, and shadowy power brokers circle each other like sharks.

For most of its runtime, Sekhar Kammula's thriller keeps you guessing who's playing whom in this high-stakes game of greed and justice. Then comes that ending, and suddenly, all that carefully built tension deflates like a punctured tire.

Nagarjuna delivers a compelling performance as Deepak, a disillusioned CBI officer, showcasing more emotional range than his recent commercial outings. His internal conflict feels authentic and lived-in. Dhanush, in a pivotal role, brings his trademark intensity, though his character arc feels somewhat under-explored compared to his stellar work in recent Tamil films. Jim Sarbh as the ambitious businessman Neeraj Mitra is deliciously menacing, in stark contrast to his Homi Bhabha in Rocket Boys. Rashmika Mandanna, while serviceable, doesn't quite transcend the limitations of her role. Dalip Tahil is wasted in an inconsequential role.

Kammula crafts a visually striking film that tackles corruption and power with admirable ambition. The oil reserve subplot provides genuine intrigue, and the film's first two acts maintain impressive momentum. However, the resolution feels rushed and somewhat predictable, preventing what could have been a truly memorable thriller from reaching its full potential.

Despite its flawed conclusion, Kuberaa succeeds as both entertainment and a window into Telugu cinema's evolving sensibilities.