Kabzaa (meaning “possession” or “victory”) is a 2023 Indian Kannada language action film directed and written by R. was done by Chandru. The film has a star-studded cast including Upendra, Shiv Rajkumar, Kiccha Sudeepa, Shriya Saran and many others.
The story is about Arkeshwara, an Air Force officer who gets involved in the underworld due to unavoidable reasons. The film follows his life from 1942 to 1986, depicting his journey and struggle.
Kabzaa was released on March 17, 2023 in Kannada and has also been dubbed into Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. The release date was chosen to honor late actor Punit Rajkumar’s 48th birthday.
Despite high expectations, the film received negative reviews from critics and did not do well at the box office, becoming a financial failure. However, the makers have announced that a sequel is in the works, hoping to continue the story.
Kabzaa Movie Brief Overview
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Directed by | R. Chandru |
| Written by | R. Chandru |
| Produced by | Anand Pandit, R. Chandru, Alankar Pandian |
| Starring | Upendra, Kiccha Sudeepa, Shiva Rajkumar, Shriya Saran, Dev Gill, Sudha, Kabir Duhan Singh, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Suneel Puranik, Nawab Shah, Murali Sharma |
| Cinematography | A. J. Shetty |
| Edited by | Mahesh S. Reddy |
| Music by | Ravi Basrur |
| Production companies | Anand Pandit Motion Pictures, Sri Siddheshwara Enterprises, Invenio Origin |
| Distributed by | Sri Siddheshwara Enterprises (Kannada), Anand Pandit Motion Pictures (Hindi), Lyca Productions (Tamil), Ruchira Entertainments, N Cinemas (Telugu), E4 Entertainment (Malayalam) |
| Release date | 17 March 2023 |
| Running time | 134 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Kannada |
| Budget | ₹120 crore |
| Box office | ₹34.5 crore |
Kabzaa Starring Cast & Crew
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Upendra | Arkeshwara, a former Air Force pilot-turned-gangster |
| Kiccha Sudeepa | Bhargava Bakshi, a ruthless cop |
| Shriya Saran | Madhumati Bahaddur, Arkeshwara’s wife and Veer Bahadur’s daughter |
| Murali Sharma | CM Veer Bahaddur, Madhumati’s father and king of the Bahaddur dynasty during the British Raj |
| Nawab Shah | Bagheera, a coastal gangster who wears viking attire |
| Suneel Puranik | Sankeshwara, Arkeshwara’s brother and a courageous revolutionary opposed to Khaleed |
| John Kokken | Malik, a North Indian gangster |
| Kota Srinivasa Rao | Role not specified |
| Posani Krishna Murali | Role not specified |
| Sudha | Tulasi Devi, Arkeshwara and Sankeshwara’s mother |
| Dev Gill | DSP Vikram, a cop hired by Bahaddur to kill Arkeshwara |
| M. Kamaraj | Khaleed, a bloodthirsty gangster stationed in Amarapuram |
| Danish Akhtar Saifi | Bali, a superhuman hitman who works for Khaleed and is responsible for mass murder |
| Lakki Lakshman | CM Ghanshyam Pandey, a political opposer to Bahaddur |
| Pramod Shetty | A corrupt cop |
| Taaha Shah | Saartaj, Khaleed’s son |
| Avinash | A jailer |
| Anoop Revanna | Fayaaz, also known as Target, a vigilante don who opposes Khaleed and sides with Arkeshwara |
| B Suresh | Varadharaj Mudaliar |
| Prithviraj | Police Officer |
| Dharma | Police officer |
| Chiru | Young Arkeshwara |
| Jnan | Young Sankeshwara |
| Tanya Hope | A bar dancer in the song, “Chum Chum Chali Chali” |
| Shiva Rajkumar | Cameo appearance |
Kabzaa Worldwide Box Office Collection
| Period | Gross Collection (₹ crore) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Opening Day | 11.10 | Domestic |
| 25 | Worldwide (claimed by makers) | |
| First Weekend | 20.60 | |
| 5-Day Collection | 27.19 | |
| 8-Day Collection | 30 – 31 | Estimated range |
| 11-Day Collection | 34.5 | Against a budget of ₹120 crore |
Kabzaa Movie Review and Storyline
During interviews, director R Chandru mentioned that he took inspiration from the KGF series while creating the world of Kabzaa. However, Kabzaa has its own distinct flavour, including a grand scale, a strong cast, huge sets, memorable dialogues, intense action scenes, and of course, Upendra’s presence.
The film spans from the 1940s to the 1980s and introduces Arkeshwar, born into a family of freedom fighters known for weaving flags. Arkeshwar, who dreams of becoming a pilot with the support of his elder brother Sankeshwar, has a tragic turn in his life when his brother is murdered. This incident pushes him into the underworld unexpectedly.
The story revolves around whether Arkeshwar will rise to dominate the underworld or face a challenge from Bhaargava Bhakshi, as hinted by Shivarajkumar’s cameo setting up a possible confrontation in Kabzaa 2.
The second half of the film focuses on Arakeshwar’s journey, showcasing high-octane action filled with swords, guns and lots of fights. Stunt director Ravi Varma, Vijay, Chetan D’Souza, Vinod, Vikram More and thriller Manju must be credited for delivering thrilling scenes.
Apart from the action, Kabzaa also shows Arakeshwar’s romantic side with Madhumati (played by Shriya Saran), a queen who marries a gangster by disobeying her father, leading to more characters and events in future sequels. The film has a mix of drama, romance and action, with emotional moments also focusing on maternal relationships.
Chandru’s vision for Kabzaa is realised through the brilliant performances of Upendra, Sudeep and Shivarajkumar, supported by a talented technical crew. Art director Sivakumar has created impressive sets, while Ravi Basrur’s music complements the film’s commercial appeal. The background score further enhances the film’s intense atmosphere, though the visual effects could have been better.
Upendra has given a brilliant performance as Arkeshwar, showing his transformation from a simpleton to a dreaded underworld figure. Shriya Saran impresses as Madhumati, and Sudeep’s narration guides us through the film’s complex story. His role as a tough cop is a treat for fans, creating curiosity for Shivarajkumar’s role in the sequel.
The film features various characters interacting with Arkeshwar played by actors like Danish Akhtar Sait, Nawab Shah, Kamarajan, John Kokken, Anoop Revanna and Murali Sharma, each of whom have left their mark on the story.
While Kabzaa is different from KGF in its story, both share the theme of an underdog rising to power in the underworld. It is a film for fans of action-packed dramas, showcasing high technical prowess and the star power of Sandalwood’s biggest names together on screen.
