Kuberaa
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''Kuberaa'' is a 2025 Indian
crime drama film Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as drama or gangster film, but al ...
directed by
Sekhar Kammula Sekhar Kammula (born 4 February 1972) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who works in Telugu cinema. He has garnered two Filmfare Awards South, and six state Nandi Awards for his directional works. Sekhar Kammula was among the ...
, who co-wrote the screenplay with Chaithanya Pingali. Produced by Sree Venkateswara Cinemas LLP and
Amigos Creations Sekhar Kammula (born 4 February 1972) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who works in Telugu cinema. He has garnered two Filmfare Awards South, and six state Nandi Awards for his directional works. Sekhar Kammula was among the ...
, the film was simultaneously shot in
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...
and
Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...
. It stars
Dhanush Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja (born 28 July 1983), known professionally as Dhanush, is an Indian actor, filmmaker, lyricist and playback singer who primarily works in Tamil cinema. Having starred in Dhanush filmography, 50 films over his car ...
,
Nagarjuna Nāgārjuna (Sanskrit: नागार्जुन, ''Nāgārjuna''; ) was an Indian monk and Mahayana, Mahāyāna Buddhist Philosophy, philosopher of the Madhyamaka (Centrism, Middle Way) school. He is widely considered one of the most importa ...
,
Rashmika Mandanna Rashmika Mandanna (Help:IPA/Telugu, /ɾɐɕmɪkɑ mɐn̪d̪ɑn̪ːɑ/ born 5 April 1996) is an Indian actress who primaily works in Telugu cinema, Telugu and Hindi cinema, Hindi films. Her accolades include four South Indian International Mov ...
,
Jim Sarbh Jim Sarbh (born 27 August 1987) is an Indian actor known for his work in films and stage productions. He has received several awards including a Filmfare OTT Award, and an IIFA Award with a nomination for an International Emmy Award. Addition ...
and
Dalip Tahil Dalip Tahil (born Dalip Tahilramani; 30 October 1952) is an Indian people, Indian film, television and theatre actor. He is best known for his work in ''Baazigar'' (1993), ''Raja (1995 film), Raja'' (1995), ''Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke'' (1993) and ' ...
. The film was announced in June 2021.
Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
took place from February to April 2024, and its official title was announced in March. The film has music composed by
Devi Sri Prasad Gandham Sriprasad (2 August 1979), known as Devi Sri Prasad or more commonly by his initials DSP, is an Indian music composer, singer, and lyricist primarily known for his work in Telugu cinema, along with Tamil cinema. He has received numerous ...
, cinematography by Niketh Bommireddy, editing by
Karthika Srinivas Karthika Srinivas R is an Indian film editor who predominantly works in Telugu films. He is best known for his works in the films '' Swamy Ra Ra'' (2013), '' 1: Nenokkadine'' (2014), ''Karthikeya'' (2014), '' Antariksham 9000 KMPH'' (2018) a ...
and production design by
Thota Tharani Thota Tharani is an Indian art director, production designer and painter known for his work in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi cinema. With over six decades of experience, he is recognized for his detailed set designs and visual storytellin ...
. ''Kuberaa'' was released worldwide on 20 June 2025 and was successful at the box office grossing worldwide.


Plot

Neeraj Mitra, a powerful and ambitious businessman in
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
, discovers a rare oil reserve hidden in the
Bay of Bengal The Bay of Bengal is the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. Geographically it is positioned between the Indian subcontinent and the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese peninsula, located below the Bengal region. Many South Asian and Southe ...
. Eager to turn it into a source of wealth, influence, and political control, he plans a secret mission along with his business tycoon dad with the backing of the top politicians. To make it work, he turns to Deepak, a sincere and ex- C.B.I. officer now in prison for refusing to bow to corruption. Left with no choice, Deepak agrees to help. Though he does not share Neeraj's greed, his circumstances force him into the plan. Deepak gathers a group of beggars from across the country to carry out the job quietly in Mumbai. One of them is Deva Kallam, a kind-hearted naive man from
Tirupati Tirupati () is a city in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Andhra Pradesh and serves as the administrative headquarters of Tirupati district. It is known for its significant religious and cultural heritage, being home to th ...
who has no idea what he has been dragged into. Eventually, Deva discovers they plan to kill him, along with the other beggars Deepak took the help of, and he escapes. This sparks a manhunt with Neeraj and Deepak racing to find him before the truth unravels and they face the dire consequences of losing him. On the run, Deva meets Sameera, who has been stranded in Mumbai after being jilted by her boyfriend, and what follows is a gripping journey of survival, trust, and inner strength.


Cast


Production


Development

In June 2021, ahead the release of his '' Jagame Thandhiram'',
Dhanush Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja (born 28 July 1983), known professionally as Dhanush, is an Indian actor, filmmaker, lyricist and playback singer who primarily works in Tamil cinema. Having starred in Dhanush filmography, 50 films over his car ...
officially announced his upcoming film directed by
Sekhar Kammula Sekhar Kammula (born 4 February 1972) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who works in Telugu cinema. He has garnered two Filmfare Awards South, and six state Nandi Awards for his directional works. Sekhar Kammula was among the ...
. It would be produced by Sree Venkateswara Cinemas, LLP and Amigos Creations. The film was reported to be Dhanush's Telugu debut. A
muhurat Muhūrta () is a Hindu unit of time along with ''nimiṣa'', ''kāṣṭhā'', and ''kalā'' in the Hindu calendar. In the ''Brāhmaṇas'', ''muhūrta'' denotes a division of time: 1/30 of a day, or a period of 48 minutes. An alternative meanin ...
puja was held on 28 November 2022 in
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
.
Nagarjuna Nāgārjuna (Sanskrit: नागार्जुन, ''Nāgārjuna''; ) was an Indian monk and Mahayana, Mahāyāna Buddhist Philosophy, philosopher of the Madhyamaka (Centrism, Middle Way) school. He is widely considered one of the most importa ...
and
Rashmika Mandanna Rashmika Mandanna (Help:IPA/Telugu, /ɾɐɕmɪkɑ mɐn̪d̪ɑn̪ːɑ/ born 5 April 1996) is an Indian actress who primaily works in Telugu cinema, Telugu and Hindi cinema, Hindi films. Her accolades include four South Indian International Mov ...
were announced as the other leading actors in August 2023. While the film was originally known under the
working title A working title is a preliminary name for a product or project. The usage is especially common in film and TV, gaming, music and publishing. It is often styled in trade publications as (wt) and is synonymous with production title and tentative ...
''D51'', as it is Dhanush's 51st film as the leading actor, with the arrival of Nagarjuna, it was changed to ''DNS'', the initialism referring to Dhanush, Nagarjuna and Sekhar. The official title, ''Kubera'', was announced on 8 March 2024. Almost a year later, the spelling was amended to ''Kuberaa''.


Filming

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
began with the first schedule on 17 January 2024 in Hyderabad. In late January, production moved to a temple in
Tirupati Tirupati () is a city in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Andhra Pradesh and serves as the administrative headquarters of Tirupati district. It is known for its significant religious and cultural heritage, being home to th ...
, Andhra Pradesh. However, the team were filming near the
Ghat Roads Ghat Roads are access routes into the mountainous Western and Eastern Ghats, mountain ranges of the Indian subcontinent. These roads are remarkable feats of engineering, and most were constructed during the British Raj. Ghat Roads were built to ...
by
Alipiri Alipiri Padala Mandapam or Alipiri is the place at the foot of seven hills in Tirupati, near the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a neighbourhood of Tirupati city. Alipiri is one of two pathways to rea ...
, leading to vehicles moving towards the temple, being redirected by the police and the bouncers. The roadblocks and diversion led to commotion and traffic jams around the temple. The public went on to question the police to know how they permitted the team to shoot at that spot and filed a police complaint against the team. The second schedule commenced on 8 February in
Goa Goa (; ; ) is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is bound by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north, and Karnataka to the ...
. On 13 March, the production house posted behind-the-scene stills, while also announcing a new schedule in
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
. In early May, production moved to
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
. During this schedule, Dhanush shot a sequence for 12 hours beside a dump yard. Filming wrapped in late April.


Title dispute

In April 2024, film producer Karmikonda Narendra stated that he owned the rights of the title ''Kubera'' and had already completed shooting a film with the title. He filed a complaint, but was not responded to. Soon after, Narendra urged the Telangana Film Chamber to intervene and resolve the dispute. Kammula's film was subsequently renamed ''Kuberaa''.


Soundtrack

The soundtrack is composed by
Devi Sri Prasad Gandham Sriprasad (2 August 1979), known as Devi Sri Prasad or more commonly by his initials DSP, is an Indian music composer, singer, and lyricist primarily known for his work in Telugu cinema, along with Tamil cinema. He has received numerous ...
in his third collaboration with Dhanush and first with Sekhar Kammula. The audio rights were acquired by
Aditya Music Aditya Music India Private Limited is an Indian music record label company, which owns the label Aditya Music. It produces music for the Telugu cinema industry and is headquartered at Hyderabad, Telangana. Overview The company was founded b ...
. The first single, "Poyiraa Mama" was released on 2 March 2025. The second single, "Anaganaga Kadha" was released on 2 June 2025.


Release


Theatrical

''Kuberaa'' was released worldwide on 20 June 2025 in theatres. The Tamil Nadu distribution rights were bought by Romeo Pictures.


Home media

The post-theatrical streaming rights were acquired by
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming television service owned by Amazon. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced or co-produced by ...
. The film will began streaming on
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming television service owned by Amazon. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced or co-produced by ...
from 18 July 2025 in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada languages.


Reception


Critical response

Avad Mohammad of ''
OTTPlay HT Media is an Indian mass media company based in Delhi. It has holdings in print, electronic and digital media. HT Media's flagship newspaper is the ''Hindustan Times'', the second most widely read English newspaper in India after ''The Times of ...
'' gave 4/5 stars and wrote "''Kuberaa'' is one of the best Telugu films in recent times. With gripping thrills, heartfelt emotions, a compelling story, and a powerful message, the film delivers on every front." Paul Nicodemus of ''
The Times of India ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, third-largest newspaper in India by circulation an ...
'' gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Kuberaa is not your usual commercial potboiler—and that's precisely what makes it worth a watch. It's a brooding, introspective take on wealth and morality. It's not flawless, but it's a bold leap from a filmmaker unafraid to reinvent his canvas." Swaroop Kodur of ''
The Indian Express ''The Indian Express'' is an English-language Indian daily newspaper founded in 1932 by P. Varadarajulu Naidu. It is headquartered in Noida, owned by the ''Indian Express Group''. It was later taken over by Ramnath Goenka. In 1999, eight y ...
'' gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "''Kuberaa'' wears its bleeding heart on its sleeve for the marginalised, and while several scenes are effective, a few others feel repetitive and yank the pacing. ..If the bloated duration of the film could be overlooked, Kuberaa stands apart from all the cacophony around as a one-of-a-kind 'mass' experience." BH Harsh of ''
Cinema Express ''Cinema Express'' was an Indian Tamil language, Tamil-language entertainment fortnightly magazine published from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was a part of The New Indian Express, The New Indian Express Group, which also publishes ''Samakalika Mal ...
'' gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Dhanush's performance, aided by Sekhar's direction, does wonders here. ..''Kuberaa'' is a bold stroke of filmmaking, staunch in its commentary and so affecting in its sentiment. A few quibbles can be ignored." Goutham S of ''
Pinkvilla Pinkvilla is an Indian entertainment and lifestyle platform. As of June 2022, Pinkvilla has over 50,000,000 visitors on its website and app. Overview Pinkvilla covers entertainment and lifestyle stories. Its coverage extends to Hindi cinema, ...
'' gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Kuberaa is an interesting and unique attempt by Sekhar Kammula in blending commercial aspects with a realistic narrative. A talented ensemble cast at the helm, the social thriller is a fresh cup of tea despite its flaws." Janani K of ''
India Today ''India Today'' is a weekly Indian English-language news magazine published by Living Media, Living Media India Limited. It is the most widely circulated magazine in India, with a readership of close to 8 million. In 2014, ''India Today'' laun ...
'' gave 3/5 stars and wrote "''Kuberaa'' raises important questions about justice, money and power. But, it is not one without flaws. The pre-climax and climax feel a bit rushed and lack emotional connect. That said, ''Kuberaa'' presents a world that will keep you intrigued." Kirubhakar Purushothaman of ''
News18 Network18 Media & Investments Limited, ( d/b/a Network18 Group) is an Indian media conglomerate owned by the Reliance Industries, headed by Mukesh Ambani. Rahul Joshi is the managing director, chief executive officer and group editor-in-chief ...
'' gave 3/5 stars and wrote "While Kuberaa carefully steers away from the generic nature of commercial entertainers, the end seems like an easy way out and undermines its desire to be unique." Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of ''
The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded as a weekly publication in 1878 by the Triplicane Six, becoming a daily in 1889. It is one of the India ...
'' wrote "Kuberaa falls short of being a gamechanger. But it is a brave film from a director who has often stepped away from the norm, and raised pertinent questions. That is ample reason to cheer."


Box office

''Kubera'' grossed ₹13 crore net on its opening day in India, with a worldwide gross of ₹26 crore, marking Dhanush's highest opening day collection. On its second day, the film earned an estimated ₹17 crore net in India, pushing the global gross past ₹50 crore. The third day saw collections of ₹18.5 crore net in India, resulting in a domestic weekend total of ₹48.5 crore and a global gross of approximately ₹79 crore. On the fourth day, earnings dropped to ₹7.25 crore net in India. By the end of its first week, the film had grossed an estimated ₹104 crore worldwide, with ₹78 crore from India and ₹26 crore from overseas markets. The film grossed worldwide in sixteen days, thus achieving the break-even point and became successful at the box office.


Notes


References


External links

* * {{Authority control 2020s business films 2020s Indian films 2020s Tamil-language films 2020s Telugu-language films 2025 crime drama films 2025 films 2025 multilingual films Fictional portrayals of the Maharashtra Police Films about corruption in India Films about human trafficking Films about organised crime in India Films about orphans Films about police brutality Films about poverty in India Films about social issues in India Films directed by Sekhar Kammula Films scored by Devi Sri Prasad Films set in Mumbai Films set in slums Films set in Andhra Pradesh Films shot in Hyderabad, India Films shot in Mumbai Films shot in Tirupati Indian business films Indian crime drama films Indian multilingual films Tamil-language crime drama films Tamil-language Indian films Telugu-language films