Suriya’s Starrer Kanguva Review And Rating

It’s been nearly two and a half years since Suriya had a major theatrical release. With Kanguva, both Suriya and producer KE Gnanavel Raja made bold promises about the film’s success even before its release. Gnanavel confidently claimed that the movie would rake in Rs 2,000 crore globally, while Suriya went all out promoting the film. But, did the movie live up to the massive expectations set by the team? Let’s dive in and find out!

Plot Of The Story:

Kanguva weaves together two parallel timelines, linking the past and present. In 2024, Francis (Suriya) is a ruthless bounty hunter who encounters a child who triggers memories of his past. A thousand years earlier, Kanga (also Suriya), a prince from the tribe, is caught in a relentless struggle. His village, Perumachi, faces a looming threat from the Romanians, who seek to conquer and dominate them.

But it’s not just the Romanians — another powerful clan, led by the menacing Udhiran (Bobby Deol), joins the fray, intensifying the threat to Perumachi. As tensions rise, the conflict evolves into a fierce battle between the two leaders, Kanga and Udhiran. The connection between Francis in the present and Kanga from the past forms the heart of the story.

Performances:

Suriya takes on a double role in Kanguva, playing two distinctly different characters — Francis in the present day and Kanguva in the period setting, the latter being the titular role. The physical contrast between the two characters is striking.

Francis is a colorful, larger-than-life character, with Suriya donning a new flashy suit in nearly every scene. On the other hand, Kanguva is portrayed as a rugged warrior with a chiseled body, tattoos, and a more battle-hardened look. The two characters are visually unique and represent starkly different personas.

However, the issue lies not in their appearances, but in the writing. The character of Francis comes across as irritating. His attempts at humor and entertainment often fall flat, making his scenes feel forced and unpleasant. Meanwhile, Kanguva, despite being involved in major events, feels emotionally shallow and lacks any real depth or high stakes, making his character seem hollow.

While there is nothing lacking in Suriya’s performance, the emotional impact of both roles is missing. Neither character leaves a lasting impression, which is a major letdown. This lack of memorable moments is where *Kanguva* ultimately disappoints.

Disha Patani, who appears in the present-day segment, dons trendy and glamorous outfits. While she looks stylish, her performance falls short, as her acting feels more irritating than engaging.

Bobby Deol matches Suriya in terms of his appearance, and his warrior look suits him well. However, the writing and lack of character development work against him. He ends up playing the typical stock villain role, but it fails to leave any lasting impact.

In addition to the main leads and Bobby Deol, several familiar faces appear in minor roles, such as Yogi Babu, KS Ravikumar, and Redin Kingsley. Unfortunately, none of them bring anything particularly memorable to the table, as they simply go through the motions, delivering what’s expected without offering any standout moments, even in their brief scenes.

Analysis:

Directed by Siva, Kanguva is an ambitious film with a unique setting, but it struggles to live up to its potential. Surprisingly, the first forty minutes feel out of place, with a song (“Yolo”) appearing almost immediately, followed by over-the-top comedy from Francis (Suriya) and Disha Patani. Their antics neither entertain nor serve the film’s grand vision. The addition of Yogi Babu and K. S. Ravikumar only adds to the cringe-worthy filler, further diminishing the film’s impact.

Things take a turn for the better once the flashback begins. The visuals are striking, and while the first “hundred-hands chopping” sequence isn’t groundbreaking, it does manage to hold attention.

However, despite this shift, Director Siva fails to establish significant character development for Kanguva. Kanga, the central figure, simply begins his journey without much buildup, leaving his character arc underdeveloped. Kanguva lacks the emotional depth or defining traits needed for the audience to connect with him, which ultimately weakens the film. The constant introduction of complex names only adds confusion, though it’s not crucial to remember them to follow the story.

Despite these issues, the period setting is visually appealing, helping to make the first half of the film somewhat manageable, even if the interval twist doesn’t pack much punch.

After a less-than-ideal first half, Kanguva needed a strong second half to leave audiences with a positive impression. Unfortunately, it fails to deliver. While parts of the second half are visually appealing, the overall experience is disappointing, especially the final portions, which lead to a sense of letdown. Over-the-top action sequences, like Francis jumping onto a flying aircraft, feel out of place for a film like Kanguva.

While some VFX-heavy moments, such as Kanguva saving a child from a crocodile in water, may fail to impress the majority, certain action blocks, like the sequence set in Hima Kona, work better.

But the most significant problem remains Kanguva’s character becomes monotonous. His role devolves into relentless shouting, without building the emotional or dramatic highs that could elevate the action. When it comes to emotion, the film completely falls short, leaving a void where there should have been depth.

In short, Director Siva’s failure to develop Kanguva’s character — the film’s lifeblood — leads to a loud, over-the-top film that lacks the necessary emotional weight to make its action impactful. While the visuals are strong, the absence of character development and emotional resonance ultimately sinks the film. Kanguva ends up being a misfire.

Music & Other Departments:

Devi Sri Prasad composes the music and background score for Kanguva. While there are plenty of songs throughout the film, none of them manage to capture attention. A few tracks are somewhat decent but ultimately feel like mere storytelling devices, losing their impact in the overall narrative. The background score, too, is underwhelming — it’s loud and lacks any distinctive character, especially considering the grand setting. There’s also a noticeable absence of any memorable musical moments for the characters.

Visually, Kanguva is stunning, whether in the present-day sequences or the period portions. Cinematographer Vetri Palanisamy deserves credit for elevating the film’s visuals, and his work is one of the main reasons parts of the movie are at least somewhat watchable. However, the editing could have been sharper. The film feels rushed at times, with no significant emotional highs or impactful action sequences.

The production values are high, with Studio Green and UV Creations clearly investing heavily in creating a grand spectacle. Despite a few VFX glitches, the overall visual presentation is impressive, making the film feel large-scale and epic.