June 20, 2025: In a world where commercial cinema often bows to superstardom, Kuberaa dares to tread a different path. It doesn’t glorify its A-list cast — Dhanush, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Rashmika Mandanna — but instead strips them down to their characters, placing them in a world shaped by ambition, inequality, and survival. Writer-director Sekhar Kammula marks 25 years in the industry with a bold narrative that challenges mainstream Telugu cinema’s usual comforts. Kuberaa doesn’t aim to entertain passively — it wants to provoke thought.
Kuberaa Review: A Tale of Money, Morality, and Mayhem
At its core, Kuberaa is a clash of worlds. One belongs to Neeraj Mitra (played with unnerving precision by Jim Sarbh), a billionaire who equates fame with control. The other belongs to Deva (Dhanush), a beggar whose life is dictated by hunger, vulnerability, and the hope for dignity. These two realities eventually collide, not through a simplistic underdog tale, but through a layered, slowly building thriller that explores the cost of greed and the resilience of the human spirit.
Sekhar Kammula avoids the trappings of formulaic storytelling. There’s no hero entry, no punch dialogues to earn whistles. Instead, he crafts an unsettling reality, the kind that creeps up on you. The introduction of Deva, a ragged man in a world that doesn’t see him, is a moment of quiet impact. Dhanush brings his usual authenticity, portraying pain and survival without ever begging for sympathy.
Jim Sarbh’s Neeraj is cold, confident, and dangerous, navigating boardrooms and back alleys with the same ruthless intent. His fluency in Telugu adds depth, making his presence feel native rather than parachuted in. Meanwhile, Nagarjuna’s character, Deepak Tej, a CBI officer caught in a moral struggle, is both grounded and quietly intense. His restrained performance reflects the soul of a man grappling with conscience in a broken system.
The cinematography by Niketh Bommi and the production design by Thota Tharani create a sharp contrast, from sky-high luxury towers to the underbelly of Mumbai’s streets. These visuals support a narrative that questions societal blind spots, especially the dehumanization of the poor.
The film Kuberaa finds strength when it leans into its thriller elements. The pacing picks up, the tension builds, and the lines between victim and victor begin to blur. Rashmika Mandanna’s character, Sameera, emerges gradually, a subtle but significant part of the puzzle, bringing moments of warmth and humour amid the chaos.
However, not all threads hold. A subplot involving a pregnant woman feels emotionally manipulative rather than impactful. Some transitions lack clarity, making it hard to track how secondary characters fit into the broader picture. The film’s final act, while emotionally charged, doesn’t entirely land — opting for poetic resolution over realism.
Devi Sri Prasad’s score supports the shifts in mood without overwhelming the story. From eerie silences to swelling orchestration, the music stays aligned with the characters’ emotional journeys.
Final Thoughts
Kuberaa may not tick every box for a flawless thriller, but it certainly ticks the right ones for relevance and courage. It raises questions, about power, about who gets forgotten, and about what justice really means. It’s not just a film; it’s a reflection of societal divides we often ignore.