The buzz surrounding Vijay Deverakonda's comeback film, "Kingdom," has reached fever pitch, and initial reviews are surfacing after its overseas premiere. Directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, known for his previous work on "Jersey," "Kingdom" is a Telugu-language spy action thriller that marks Deverakonda's return to the big screen after a two-year hiatus.
Early reactions to "Kingdom" are pouring in, particularly on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where viewers are sharing their immediate impressions. Esteemed actor Ram Charan lauded the film in a widely shared handwritten message, describing it as one of the best he has ever watched.
"Kingdom" is touted as a high-octane commercial entertainer, blending action sequences with heartfelt storytelling and Tinnanuri's signature cinematic approach. The film boasts a strong technical crew, with cinematography by Jomon T. John and Girish Gangadharan, editing by Naveen Nooli, and music composed by Anirudh Ravichander. Action choreography is handled by Yannick Ben, Chethan D'Souza, and Real Satish.
The cast features Vijay Deverakonda in the lead role as Constable Surya, also known as 'Suri', supported by Satyadev and Bhagyashri Borse. The younger version of Suri is portrayed by child actor Ronit Kamra, while Kothala Bhanu Prakash plays young Siva.
According to initial reports, Vijay Deverakonda delivers a standout performance, with some critics noting that he "stole the show," particularly in the action sequences. A Dubai-based critic, Umair Sandhu, called "Kingdom" a decent mass entertainer, giving it 3 stars, while noting that the story and screenplay were mediocre. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) rated the film as suitable for audiences above 15 years of age, citing "intense scenes of strong violence in substantial bloody detail throughout".
Vijay Deverakonda's career has been marked by bold choices and intense roles. After a series of commercial failures, "Kingdom" is seen as a reflective turn, focusing on strong storytelling. Some view the film as his most important work since "Arjun Reddy". A member of the creative team stated that Deverakonda was looking for a role that wasn't designed around his stardom, but one that would challenge him as an actor, and "'Kingdom' gave him that".
Nani has also shown support for Kingdom. The Hit actor wrote, "Loving everything happening around cinema. #Kingdom feels like own coming from our Gautam, Vijay, Ani and Vamsi. Everything that came out so far makes it very exciting".
"Kingdom" is produced by Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya under the banners of Sithara Entertainments and Fortune Four Cinemas. The film's release on July 31st is highly anticipated by fans.
Adding to the excitement, producer Dil Raju seemingly revealed the title of Vijay Deverakonda's upcoming film (VD 13) as "Rowdy Janardhana". The film, directed by Ravi Kiran Kola, is reportedly set in the Rayalaseema region and is expected to begin filming soon.
Several other projects are lined up for Vijay Deverakonda, including "The Family Star," "Kalki 2898 AD," VD12, and more.