In his latest review for The Hollywood Reporter – India, Kairam Vaashi takes a deep dive into director Shekhar Kammula’s emotionally resonant drama Kuberaa, starring Dhanush in a role unlike any we’ve seen from him before. As Deva, a beggar from Tirupati who unknowingly alters the fate of one of India’s richest men, Dhanush delivers a performance that is both understated and deeply moving — avoiding all the typical ‘mass hero’ tropes.
Kairam praises Kuberaa for its faith in simple, character-driven storytelling and its refusal to rely on spectacle. He highlights the film’s strong emotional core, brought to life by Rashmika Mandanna, Nagarjuna, and Jim Sarbh, who each deliver layered performances — even when the writing falters slightly. From themes of morality, divinity, and rebirth, to its gentle irony and subtle symbolism, Kuberaa emerges as a quiet but powerful statement on the place of soul-stirring stories in mainstream cinema.
While acknowledging some predictable moments and a slightly underwhelming antagonist arc, this review emphasizes how Kuberaa triumphs through its heart, restraint, and sincerity. With music by Devi Sri Prasad (DSP) and a screenplay rich in metaphor, Kairam argues that Kuberaa is a film that stays with you — not because it shouts, but because it listens.
