#Kuberaa Review

#Kuberaa

2025- Telugu/Tamil

Starring : Dhanush , Nagarjuna Akkineni , Jim Sarbh , Rashmika Mandanna and Sunaina 

Directed by Shekhar Kamula

Plot: Neeraj Mitra, a powerful businessman, wants to quietly move ₹1 lakh crore of black money. To pull this off, he approaches Deepak Tej, a disgraced former CBI officer. Deepak comes up with a clever but dangerous plan—he will use beggars from across the country as benami holders to move the money without raising suspicion. Among them is Deva, a quiet and unsuspecting man who has no idea he's part of a massive scam. But when a sudden incident causes Deva to vanish—unknowingly taking ₹10,000 crore with him—Neeraj and Deepak launch a nationwide hunt to find him.Did they catch Deva? Did he ever learn the truth about who he really is and the money tied to his name? What he does next with that knowledge forms the rest of the story.

Performance wise , Dhanush as Protagonist Deva is just excellent. Man has given his heart and soul for the film and it has come out as a terrific performance. Each and every scene , Dhanush nails it. Nagarjuna Akkineni as the Second Protagonist is terrific too. His portrayal of a Vulnerable yet determined man was great. Rashmika gets a meaty role and does her part well. There is no standout scene but good performance. Jim Sarbh as Antagonist is a typical Commercial Corporate Villain does Good but character could've been written better. Bakkiyaraj in a small cameo is good . Sunaina limited scope , decent performance . Dalip Tahil, Nasser, Bahagavthi Perumal and Azhagam Perumal are there but do not contribute much. 

Technically the film is partially strong. DSP's Rendition of Enadhu Enadhu Version 1&2 is terrific with the placement. Poi Vaa Placement is terrific and works as a Theatrical moment. BGMs are great. Cinematography by Niketh Bommi beautifully captured the richness of the story . Editing by Karthika Srinivas could've been much better as there are abrupt cuts especially in the Second Half that kind of hamper the viewing experience. Mediocre VFX.

The film opens with Jim Sarbh's character Neeraj and his current agreement about how he wants to take over Government Oil Rig and privatize it. Post this we are introduced to Deepak Tej played by Nagarjuna. The following 20-25 mins are terrific and clearly establishes the main plot and the financial scam that Deepak and Neeraj are going to pull off. Though it was a complex scheme, it is portrayed and explained in a easy way that even a layman can understand. After this we are introduced to Deva played by Dhanush who is a Beggar in Tirupati. Right from there the film takes off and goes on a fantastic pace. Though there are no unpredictable twists and sort , the screenplay is quite engaging. Though there are some lags in terms of Rashmika Mandanna's Character scenes, it does not necessarily come off as a speed breaker. The film goes on with a fantastic pre-interval chase sequence and ends with a simple yet high point scene for the interval. 

The Second Half opens with the Bonding of Rashmika and Dhanush and how they decide to work together. On the other hand Deepak's Vulnerable side is also beautifully showcased making it a honest character unwillingly caught in a web of deceit and Nagarjuna just nails it. There is chase sequence but that unfortunately goes on for too long making the story rotate on the same point for so long. 

Talking about the Negatives, the film suffers from terrible Lip Synch issues. Seems like all Nagarjuna shots are shot in Telugu and Dhanush & Rashmika scenes are selectively re-shot in Tamil and others are dubbed. Because of this, the film does not feel authentic to one particular language and is jarring at times especially in closeup shots. The Film's second half , especially with chase sequences lag a lot which could've been cropped down easily and some abrupt cuts with black screen are very disturbing. The Runtime, especially in the Second half feels long (even though all are important scenes, the film feels stretched). But the biggest flaw of all is the Climax. The Third Act which was supposed to speak about the proposed solutions for the problems feel dumbed down and rushed. The Climax does not justice to the plot. 

Writer Director Shekhar Kamula has taken a unique one plot of a Beggar vs a Businessman and tried to spin a taut financial Thriller around it and has succeed in that 3/4th. While the film importantly addresses a lot of things, the broad messaging dilutes a lot of things. Shekhar who is known for writing emotionally backed characters unfortunately misses in this as it misses the emotional core. But the constant moving screenplay except for few scenes keeps on moving and keeps on the engagement factor. Although the film's conclusion wasn't satisfying, the film on the whole works due to a gripping screenplay and a terrific performances of Dhanush and Nagarjuna.

Overall: Kuberaa is a decent financial thriller that talks about a lot of issues and aims high but only reaches half of it. The gripping Screenplay keeps on the audience engaged which is supported by a terrific performances of Dhanush and Nagarjuna. A Strong film with a Fantastic First and Second Act but a muddled third act. 

Rating : 3/5

Television Rights: Vijay Tv

Digital Rights: Amazon Prime