Kingdom Review: 5 Highlights Of Vijay Deverakonda's Action Drama

Every now and then, there comes a film that will attempt to change the grammar of a commercial potboiler, and irrespective of its box-office reception, such films will surely leave a massive impact on the audiences. One such movie is Gowtam Tinnanuri's Kingdom.

Gowtam has already impacted TFI audiences with his emotional dramas like Malli Raava and Jersey. Most of the people who are fans of Telugu cinema would have definitely loved and watched Jersey. Gowtam has a tremendous knack for writing drama, and he has demonstrated this talent even in his third attempt; he succeeds in executing that to perfection.

Kingdom is ambitious in its approach to narrating a story of The Chosen One, and there are quite a few stories that have come on the big screen attempting to tell a similar tale. But what separates Kingdom from the rest is how it continues to remain engaging from start to finish. While the emotional stakes in Jersey may not be as high, the brotherly bond was sufficient to keep you engrossed in the proceedings. Without further ado, let's take a look at five things that worked well in Kingdom.

Satyadev's Terrific Performance as Siva

Satyadev Kancharana is one actor that cinegoers and movie lovers just can't get enough of. It's extremely unfortunate that he gets to act in fewer movies, especially in mainstream commercial cinema. He has got everything. He possesses the swagger, acting talent, and expressive eyes that could convey a thousand words with just one look. Satyadev's portrayal of Siva, the brother who abandoned his family, embodies the essence of the Kingdom. Casting Satyadev for Siva is a perfect decision, as he is a breeze to root for. It's a grey character for sure, but audiences gave a collective gasp at a crucial point in the second half after realizing Siva's future. That's the impact Satyadev made as Siva in Kingdom.

Vijay Deverakonda Back at His A-Game

Vijay Deverakonda is one actor who has always proved that he could be the next big thing in Telugu cinema that can cross regional barriers and go pan-India. With Arjun Reddy, his stardom skyrocketed, and even though it took nearly eight years for him to bounce back with a rousing drama, Vijay Deverakonda is truly back as a phenomenal actor. Vijay carries the pain of a man who misses his brother as Suri, and he proved once again what he could do on the big screen with a terrific script.

Anirudh Ravichander's Restrained Yet Effective Score

Anirudh Ravichander has been consistently producing blockbusters in various languages over the past few years. After lifting movies like Devara and Jailer with his thumping background score, Anirudh's work in Kingdom relies on him letting the drama and the silences speak for themselves, and he did that to perfection. Where necessary, he provided exceptional scores, allowing Gowtam's writing to shine. Although it may take some time for audiences to recognize the value he brought to Kingdom, his work will undoubtedly endure over time.

Subtle Mass Moments

Telugu cinema is loud, and it gets even louder when it comes to masala potboilers, where a director's job sometimes could become satisfying the hero's fans more than doing justice to the script. Kingdom refuses to fall into the hero elevation category of commercial cinema. There are definitely moments that do that, but Gowtam Tinnanuri downplayed them and kept the story moving. The director only chooses to create a true-blue mass moment when the hero frees an elderly character. The director deliberately aims to deviate from the conventional commercial template that fans have become accustomed to in this scene.

Technical Brilliance

A strong crew supporting Gowtam Tinnanuri's conviction ensures a visually appealing film. The same happened with Kingdom. Girish Gangadharan and Jomon T. John add more value to Gowtam's dramatic vision. Fans might want to watch Kingdom multiple times owing to the fact that its frames are memorable. Take this one scene that establishes what kind of somebody Suri is, for instance. Suri defends the oppressed and endures police beatings to protect a young man from them. This scene could have been another mass moment as Vijay achieved what he intended to do, but the camera pans up and shows Suri down and out, filled with blood, from a top angle. In an era where people crave close-up shots for elevation, this frame in a commercial cinema feels like poetry.

All in all, Kingdom is a must-watch this weekend, and it opens doors for directors to try out different narratives while attempting to please audiences with commercial cinema.