Kubera Movie Review: A Pan-Indian Spectacle Not to Be Missed!!

Okay, let's talk about the movie Kubera, which stars Dhanush, Nagarjuna, Rashmika Mandanna, and Jim Sarbh. The casting is great, but how is the movie itself? So, here’s the deal: ever since I saw the teaser, I was interested to see what kind of film they were making. However, I didn’t have much hope for a Hindi release since the trailer never came out in Hindi. The movie was shot simultaneously in two languages, Tamil and Telugu and I watched the Hindi dubbed version, where it’s called Kubera. Man, the movie’s opening is absolutely amazing. One thing I really liked was how no-nonsense and to-the-point the storytelling is. It’s super efficient with no time wasted. From the start, the important bits are laid out quickly and clearly. The story revolves around a huge discovery of natural gas or crude oil off the coast of Bengal, near Tamil Nadu, extracted by drilling into the sea.

Kubera’s black gold is so abundant that it’s worth thousands, millions, billions of rupees. Because of this, a powerful Indian businessman played by Jim Sarbh becomes fully interested. Overnight, he manages to set up political connections, telling people to kill whoever needs to be killed and silence anyone who needs silencing. He asks for a contract and demands ₹1 lakh crore, half black money, half white. Without going into too much detail about the story, keep in mind the movie’s title is Kubera, and it’s all about money, how having money means having the world, and what people are willing to do for it. We see the behavior of those in top positions, how they grab everything they can. On the flip side, the movie also explores the other side of the spectrum, the beggars who sit outside temples or on street corners asking for alms.

The main character, played by Dhanush, literally plays a beggar, and I can’t praise him enough for this role. He’s a superstar who doesn’t care about his image; he just took on a well-written, good character. Dhanush’s performance was outstanding. His character is uneducated and doesn’t understand complex things, but he fits perfectly in that world. He might not know what ₹1 lakh crore really means, none of us do, but once he’s explained, he understands that the number one businessman will dance at his fingertips. That’s the best part of the movie for me. The first hour is mostly about setting up the situation, but it also lays out the financial arrangements, where the money will move and which characters are important. Dhanush’s character, named Deva, is crucial.

To praise his work, I’ll just say it’s very impactful and engaging, I really enjoyed it. For the characters, they hired talent from different industries. For example, Jim Sarbh plays the villain, a selfish and ruthless businessman and he does a fantastic job. His character is believable, making you want to punch him because of how successful and arrogant he is. Nagarjuna’s role also made me very happy after watching the movie because his character is neither a hero nor a villain; he’s a perfect gray-shaded character that feels very real and refreshing. Nowadays, most actors are seen only in over-the-top mass masala action films, but here we have a character-driven role with solid writing. It feels like you’re watching a well-made movie, something that can hook the goldfish attention-span generation, not with loud dialogues or big action, but with drama.

Well, as I said, the movie opens strong, and during the first hour, I was hoping it would keep up the quality. Although it sounds like a serious movie, the comedy and humour are placed perfectly, just enough to lighten the mood and very well done. Even dedicated comedy movies could learn from it. But just before the interval, the writing takes a big leap in believability: your character does something that feels convenient. You understand what I mean, it’s a bit of a shock, but okay, you keep watching. One slip-up is acceptable for a big jump in the story. But just before the interval ends, they do it again, and I thought, now it’s becoming a bit too convenient. When the interval came, the lights went up, and the screen went dark, I felt like I had watched an entire movie in that short time. The first half was about 1 hour 40 minutes, while the whole film is over 3 hours long.

The second half keeps the story good, but again, there are convenient jumps and some parts feel repetitive or dragged out a bit. So yes, Kubera’s biggest drawback is its runtime. Some scenes could have been shortened or cut to make it tighter. It does keep your attention and interest throughout, but that feeling of watching a long movie lingers. When a billionaire clashes with a beggar, what will the conclusion, dynamics, and situation be? The climax is interesting, but the way the movie ends is sure to polarize audiences. Some won’t feel it’s worth the time invested. The reason is that after such a long investment, you want a satisfying ending, and the runtime issue comes up again. The drawback I mentioned is not bad enough to ruin the movie.

Overall, Kubera is still a good film, with strong writing and top-notch performances. I do recommend the Hindi dub, although I noticed some issues here and there. Sometimes the audio peaks, making it sound like the microphone is distorted like someone shouting loudly but you still can’t hear clearly in the theater. The dubbing for songs is still not excellent but better than average South Indian movies. Devi Sri Prasad’s score is good and supports the film well. If you’re in the mood to watch something a little different and serious, you can give Kubera a try. Just keep in mind that by the end, some things might not feel quite right. Still, when I came out of the theater, I was happy to have seen a good movie.