A Searingly Humane Socio-Political Thriller

CAST: Dhanush, Nagarjuna, Rashmika Mandanna, Jim Sarbh, Dalip Tahil DIRECTOR: Sekhar Kammula

- BH HARSH

On the surface, Sekhar Kammula's Kuberaa is a quintessential David vs. Goliath story. It speaks about inequality and class divide set against a world of high-end socio-political corruption where the poor are ruthlessly used as pawns. However, the evil of inequality permeates even the boundaries between life and death in this world. In a scene early on, a beggar is denied dignity during his cremation. This moment completes a circle in the second half as our protagonist Deva (Dhanush) moves mountains to lend dignity to the death of someone like him, even as he learns the price that needs to be paid for it.

Kuberaa works best when, amidst its frantic storytelling, it prioritizes emotional intensity over pace. Paced at a breakneck speed, the film sprints throughout its 3-hour runtime, which is an accomplishment in itself. However, in the process, it ends up barely leaving room for emotional heft, especially in the first half. Every scene comes close to being hurried, some of them toppling over the line. There is no breather here—the narrative keeps you at the edge of your seat, even discomfortingly so at times. You want the moments to stay longer and hit you harder, but Kuberaa has lofty ambitions. It wants to tug at your heartstrings while also punching you in the gut.