Kuberaa (2025) Review: A Beggar, A Billionaire, And Billions

This Kuberaa review starts with a simple question: what happens when a man with nothing is handed everything? Sekhar Kammula's Telugu drama, released on 19 June 2025, turns that idea into a long, ambitious story about greed and survival. It is a big swing from a director better known for gentler films.

Kuberaa Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Kuberaa plot centres on Neeraj, a ruthless billionaire who uses beggars as benamis, or secret fronts, to launder money. He relies on Deepak, a disgraced former civil servant, to keep the machinery running. The setup is clever and grimly believable, and it gives the film a sharp social edge from the first act.

Then one of those beggars, Deva, escapes with ₹10,000 crores. Suddenly he is the target of a deadly manhunt. Along the way he meets Sameera, who becomes part of his mission to use the money to help society's poor.

The film mixes crime thriller beats with moral questions. It asks who deserves wealth, who controls it and what it does to people. If you enjoy a serious drama movie review, this premise should hook you.

What Works in Kuberaa

The central idea is the film's biggest strength. Using the homeless as invisible tools for corruption is a striking image, and Kammula builds the story around that contrast between extreme wealth and extreme poverty.

The themes also give the film weight beyond its chase plot. Greed, ambition and moral compromise are not just talked about; they shape what each character does.

• A strong, topical hook about hidden money and the people used to move it.

• Characters whose choices are driven by moral conflict rather than simple good and bad.

• A serious tone that sets it apart from typical action movie reviews territory.

Kuberaa Cast and Performances

The Kuberaa cast is led by Dhanush as Deva Kalam, the beggar whose life changes overnight. The role asks for vulnerability more than swagger, and it plays to his strengths as a quiet, expressive actor.

Nagarjuna Akkineni plays Deepak Tej, the disgraced official caught between conscience and compromise. Jim Sarbh is Neeraj Mitra, the billionaire at the top of the scheme. Rashmika Mandanna appears as Sameera, Deva's companion on his journey.

K. Bhagyaraj as Sadhu and Dalip Tahil as Neeraj's father round out a supporting cast that gives the story texture. Together, the ensemble gives the film a human anchor even when the plot gets heavy.

Where Kuberaa Stumbles

At 185 minutes, the film asks for a lot of patience. A story with this much moral weight needs room, but not every scene earns its place, and the pacing can sag between the bigger confrontations.

The tone can also wobble. Kammula balances social drama with thriller mechanics, and the two do not always sit comfortably together. Some of the message-driven moments feel more like speeches than story.

Audience reaction has been warm but measured. TMDB users give it 6.5 out of 10 from a small pool of 32 votes, which fits with a film that has real ideas but uneven execution.

Is Kuberaa Worth Watching?

Yes, Kuberaa is worth watching if you want a thoughtful Telugu drama with a big idea and a strong lead, as long as you are ready for its three-hour length. It is not a flawless thriller, but it is a film with something to say.

The best parts come from its premise and the performances. The weaker parts come from length and a message that is sometimes delivered too bluntly. Director Sekhar Kammula deserves credit for stretching beyond his usual style and for tackling a subject that many mainstream films avoid.

If you want a tighter crime story, try a more focused crime movie review pick instead. If you want character-driven social drama with a crime backbone, this one fits.

Who Will Enjoy Kuberaa

• Viewers who like socially aware dramas about money, power and inequality.

• Fans of Dhanush, Nagarjuna Akkineni and Telugu cinema with an ensemble cast.

• Audiences who do not mind a long runtime in exchange for a serious story.

For more details on the film, see the Kuberaa page on IMDb.