Vijay Deverakonda has been struggling for a hit for quite some time. Despite experimenting with different scripts, he hasn’t been able to deliver the expected results. With a strong determination to score a success this time, he has come up with “Kingdom”. Directed by Gautham Tinnanuri and produced under the Sithara banner, the film has finally hit the theatres today. Let’s see how well it connects with the audience.

Story

Suri (Vijay Deverakonda) and Shiva (Satyadev) are brothers. Suri works as a police constable and grows up under the care of his uncle Yadagiri. Their mother often expresses sorrow over her elder son Shiva, who had fled the village after committing a murder during childhood. Suri is determined to find out where Shiva is and bring him back home.

Suri is known for his anger and fearlessness. His stubborn attitude toward completing tasks earns him a chance to go on an undercover operation. He agrees, believing this mission might help him reunite with his brother. His journey takes him to Sri Lanka, where he learns that Shiva is imprisoned in Jaffna. Disguised as a prisoner, he enters the jail.

There, for the first time, Suri sees his brother Shiva. He comes to understand the harsh environment Shiva grew up in and the situation he currently faces. However, Shiva doesn’t realize that Suri is his younger brother. What happens between the two? What is the objective of Suri’s undercover mission? Will Suri be able to rescue Shiva and bring him home? These questions form the rest of the story.

Analysis

"Kingdom" is primarily a story that revolves around brotherly emotions. It focuses on a younger brother's longing to find his estranged sibling. The narrative shifts between the coastal regions of Srikakulam and the shores of Sri Lanka. The film opens on an interesting note, showing the connection between Suri and a fishing village in Sri Lanka.

The pre-mission scenes, leading up to Suri’s journey to Sri Lanka, are engaging. However, once he reaches the foreign land, the narrative loses its momentum. The audience expects emotional sequences between the brothers and a romantic track with the heroine, but the director doesn’t seem to prioritize these aspects.

The villain is portrayed in a fresh and somewhat powerful manner. Some key sequences create high expectations but fall flat in execution. Violence that begins in the pre-climax ends in the climax, but the protagonist’s transformation at the end feels underwhelming.

Performances

Given that it's a film from Sithara banner, production values are solid. Gautham Tinnanuri’s story and screenplay appear different, but he fails to create a strong emotional connection. Instead of building powerful sequences, the focus seems to have been on projecting the hero in a certain way—presenting him as a warrior, a sun, a god, etc.

Vijay Deverakonda sports a new look in this film. Apart from his Telangana accent, the role demands a completely different body language than his usual style. Bhagyashri Borse looks good but doesn’t have a significant role. Satyadev and the young villain Venkitesh do justice within their limited scope. Girish Gangadharan and Jomon T. John's cinematography, along with Anirudh’s background score, stand out as major highlights. Editing by Navin Nooli is decent.

Conclusion

“Kingdom” is a film where Vijay Deverakonda tries something different from his usual style. However, the lack of strong character design and impactful scenes weakens the film’s potential. Flat sequences that don’t meet audience expectations and the complete absence of a romantic angle may leave viewers disappointed. With better attention to emotional depth and storytelling, the film could have reached the next level.