Kingdom has once again put Vijay Deverakonda in the headlines. However, it seems like the film’s leap into the realm of spy thrillers was met with mixed reviews from the audience. While known for his strong performances, Kingdom has come as a real shocker for his fans, as they think that they got the lesser version of Vijay in the film. The actor set extremely high expectations with his performances in Arjun Reddy, Yevade Subramanyam, NOTA, Kushi, and The Family Star, but is he unable to meet the standards he set himself?
Kingdom opens to mixed reviews from fans
Kingdom features Vijay Deverakonda in the role of a rising, morally upright young man who challenges a system swaddled in corruption and power imbalance. He is a modern-day rebel who is determined, strategic and emotionally grounded to create the change. Vijay, backed by Bhagyashri Borse, is a combination for love-deprived eyes, as she plays the emotional anchor, offering more than just romantic support to the protagonist’s cause. While the audience loves their relationship, they feel it hasn’t been deeply explored, adding a tension-laden narrative to the film.
Vijay Deverakonda changes his image as a flamboyant persona as he slips into the role of a spy layered with idealism and grit. While his transformation feels organic, the audience seems to find themselves disconnected from both the quieter moments and the explosive confrontations. Satyadev and Manish Chaudhari also lend solid support, while Goparaju Ramana provides much-needed groundedness. The biggest complaint for the fans was Bhagyashri Borse not being given a deeply fleshed-out role, which makes her presence felt with sincerity and strength, making the much-awaited pairing understated but effective.
Netizens react to Vijay Deverakonda’s Kingdom
Netizens have been quick to share their views on Vijay’s Kingdom. A user penned, “Walk out feels! World-building is a failure. It just failed to take off. Everything feels forced. Not even a couple of elevation/high scenes. Music is very bad. Nothing worked for me. 1 sentence review: Kingdom is a cheaper, flawed version of DEVARA. #KingdomOnJuly31st #KingdomUSA.”
Another penned, “#Kingdom: 2.5-2.75/5. Firstly, I was really excited about the film. I’ve been waiting for it since I heard the name Gowtham Thinnanuri. The hype lived up to my expectations until I watched the film. It wasn’t outright bad, but I expected more. VD was good. Satya Dev was sufficient.” A user wrote, “Kingdom is a very ordinary and routine. Nothing new and nothing interesting. Except few scenes nothing is engaging. One time, watch for Anirudh and VD’s performance. Movie also ends with a very routine climax which tries to elevate next part. Strictly one time watch #Kingdom.”
However, some fans loved the film and soon took to social media to share their thoughts. A comment read, “Watching @TheDeverakonda #kingdom..what a movie..Brilliant direction by @gowtam19. Screenplay adiripoyindi. @SitharaEnts hit fix.” A user’s comment stated: “@TheDeverakonda dominates with swag & emotion @anirudhofficial. BGM gives nonstop chills. The first half is a festival, climax hits deep. The boat sequence is a cinematic high. Full paisa vasool mass ride!”
What are your thoughts on Vijay Deverakonda’s Kingdom? Let us know.
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