'Kabzaa' Movie Review: An Ambitious And Violent Crime Drama
Express Press Service
During the campaign, director R. Chandru admits that the KGF franchise inspired him to create Kabja Jagat. But Kabja has its own personality, impressive size, a solid all-star cast, huge sets, whistle-worthy dialogues, over-the-top violence and of course... Upendra.
The film is about the rise of the underworld and follows the life of Arkeshwar (Upendra). Narrated by dating expert Bhargava Bhaxi (Sudeep), the story is an endless stream of characters, especially the various subplots, who make fleeting appearances both inside and outside the film.
The action takes place between the 1940s and 1980s and we are introduced to Arkeshwar who was born into a family of freedom fighters. Along with his parents and his elder brother Shankeshwara (Sunil Puranik), the family is involved in flag weaving. Arkeshwar aspires to become a pilot and has full support from his elder brother.
However, his dreams are interrupted when his brother is murdered. The otherwise mild-mannered Arkeswara turns violent, marking his accidental entry into the underworld. Whether he can carry the show for long or Bhargava finds a worthy counterpart to Bakshi is in the first part, and Shivarajkumar's cameo in this part only sets the stage for a potential showdown between these three superstars in Kabzaa 2.
The true story of Kabzaa unfolds in the second half and high-octane action scenes feature swords, guns and a lot of bloodshed. Thanks to Stunt Coordinator Ravi Verma, Vijay, Chetan D'Souza, Vinod, Vikram More and Thriller Manju for Adrenaline Rush.
Apart from the violence, Arkeshwara also has a romantic side to Madhumati (Shriya Saran), the queen of the Bahadur family, who is getting married against her father's wishes. The price she pays for marrying a gangster is determined by a series of events, leading to the introduction of many more characters in the sequel. There's plenty of drama, romance and action, and can a film be complete without a sense of motherhood?
Kabzaa is only a vision of the moon, and he ascends to it through the three star superstars. But the film definitely belongs to its technical team who put up a solid show. Art director Sivakumar masterfully creates massive sets to bring Chandru's vision to life for Kava. Ravi Basrur still maintains his signature style, balancing the mass appeal of the film's star cast with the music required for commercial hacks. The background music could be a bit too loud, but it justifies the film's rather gritty narrative. AJ Shetty, who previously assisted Bhuvan Gowda on KGF, used his knowledge of the film on Kabja. Another KGF graduate, editor Mahesh Reddy, uses a similar model but also manages to create his own style. However, the VFX leave a lot to be desired.
"If you want to win. I'll play along, if you want to beat, I'll quit," Upendra says in a highlight of the film. Kabzaa lets the actor show his superhero side and he stands tall. He fits the role of Arkeshwar well, turning a commoner into a fearsome don. Shriya is regal like a queen and perfect for the role. Sudeep's narration enhances the film and helps us navigate through the various timelines and characters. His tough police look will amuse his fans. Sivarajkumar's recording has a highly anticipated sequel.
Among the numerous characters played at various points in the war with Upendra, Dane Akhtar Sait as Bali, Nawab Shah as Bangera, Kamrajan as Khalid and John Cockayne as Malik can be felt. Anoop Revanna and Murali Sharma are acting decently as the target Fayas. The film stars Aswat Ninasam and Suresh as Andha. In fact, countless characters in the film eventually fade into obscurity.
Kabzaa's story doesn't follow KGF, but has the same theme, like a loser who becomes a don from the underworld. This is definitely a film for everyone who loves dramatic action, great technical quality and of course the thrill of seeing three of Sandalwood's biggest superstars together on the big screen.
Cabbage
Actors: Upendra, Shriya Sharan, Sudeep, Shivarajkumar
Directed by R Chandu
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
