Kingdom Movie Review: Vijay Deverakonda's Epic Comeback

Okay, We Need to Talk About What Happened When I Watched Kingdom Last Night

It's 3:17 AM and I can't sleep. I'm literally typing this on my phone in the bathroom because my wife threatened to divorce me if I kept tossing and turning. But I HAVE to get this out because holy shit, you guys. Holy. Shit.

Remember how I've been that annoying friend defending Vijay Deverakonda through all his recent disasters? Yeah, that's me. The idiot who said "Liger wasn't THAT bad" (it was). The clown who found "hidden meanings" in Kushi (there weren't any). The absolute buffoon who took his teenage nephew to The Family Star and had to apologize to my sister for exposing her child to that trauma.

I'm THAT guy. The one you probably muted on Twitter because I wouldn't shut up about "just wait, he'll bounce back."

Well.

takes deepest breath

I WAS RIGHT. I WAS SO FUCKING RIGHT AND I'M TRYING NOT TO WAKE UP THE WHOLE APARTMENT COMPLEX BY SCREAMING.

How I Almost Didn't Even Go

Real talk? I almost bailed. My friend Rajesh (fake name because he'll kill me for exposing him) and I had tickets for the 10:30 PM show. At 9:45, he texts me: "Bro, my ex just posted pics with her new boyfriend. Can't do this tonight."

Like??? What does your ex have to do with Kingdom? But whatever, Rajesh is going through it.

So there I am, eating leftover biryani from lunch (judge me, I don't care), wondering if I should just watch Netflix instead. My wife is giving me her "I told you to stop wasting money on bad movies" look. My mother-in-law (who's visiting, joy) actually says, "Isn't he the boy who made that wrestling movie? Chi chi."

THE DISRESPECT.

But I'd already spent ₹350 on the ticket. Plus ₹120 on parking because Inorbit Mall is a scam. Plus I told my Kingdom-skeptic WhatsApp group I'd give them a full review. My reputation was on the line here.

So I put on my lucky Bahubali t-shirt (shut up, we all have lucky movie shirts), grabbed my car keys, and left while my MIL was still listing Vijay's failures.

The Theater Vibes Were... Weird

PVR Inorbit, Screen 3, 10:30 show. I'm expecting maybe 20-30 people max. You know, just the hardcore fans and film students who have to watch everything.

BRO. THE THEATER WAS PACKED.

I'm talking families, college kids, couples on dates, that one uncle who comes to every show and provides running commentary. Even saw my company's HR manager (avoided eye contact because I'd called in "sick" that morning).

The energy was nervous? Like we were all abuse victims returning to our toxic ex. Everyone joking too loudly, laughing too hard at the pre-movie ads. This one girl behind me literally said to her boyfriend, "If this sucks, we're breaking up." Her boyfriend goes, "Why am I being punished for Vijay's choices?"

Valid question, honestly.

Those First 20 Minutes Though

Movie starts. Production logos. My heart is RACING. Like, I checked my fitness band later – 95 bpm just sitting in a chair. That's anxiety, folks.

First scene. Vijay appears as Suri, this exhausted-looking cop, and...

Okay, how do I explain this without sounding like a complete simp?

You know when you meet your friend after they've been through some serious shit – breakup, job loss, whatever – and they look different? Not just tired, but fundamentally changed? That was Vijay on screen. None of that "I'm-a-star-look-at-me" energy. Just... human.

The girl who threatened to break up with her boyfriend? She whispered, "Oh damn."

Yeah. Oh damn indeed.

When I Realized This Was Different

There's this scene maybe 30 minutes in. Suri is eating alone in the police canteen. Just eating dal rice. No dialogue. No dramatic music. Just the sound of his spoon hitting the steel plate. He's reading some case files, occasionally rubbing his eyes.

And I'm sitting there thinking: When did I last see a Telugu hero just... exist on screen? Not performing, not Being A Hero™, just existing?

That's when I knew. This wasn't Vijay trying to recreate Arjun Reddy magic. This wasn't him trying to be the next big mass hero. This was something else entirely.

My hands were shaking. I'm not even being dramatic. I had to put my popcorn down because I was making too much noise.

The Brother Thing Destroyed Me

When Satyadev shows up as Vijay's brother Siva, I thought I was prepared. I'd seen the trailer. I knew the plot.

I. Was. Not. Prepared.

There's this flashback (I'm already getting emotional typing this) where young Suri and Siva are sharing a meal. One plate. They're doing that thing where they're pushing the good pieces of chicken to each other's side. You know that thing? When you love someone so much you want them to have the better portion?

I did that with my younger brother. We used to fight over who got the bigger piece of chocolate, then end up giving it to each other anyway.

The uncle with the running commentary? Dead silent. The HR manager? I swear I saw her wipe her eyes. The couple behind me? The girl squeezed her boyfriend's hand and whispered, "Call your brother tomorrow."

This is 40 minutes into a Telugu commercial film, and half the theater is having a collective emotional breakdown.

Let Me Scream About Bhagyashri Borse For a Minute

FINALLY. FINALLYYYYYYY.

A heroine who doesn't just exist to look pretty and worried! Do you understand how starved we've been for this?

Dr. Anu (Bhagyashri's character) performs a bullet removal surgery. On screen. With her hands visibly shaking because she's scared but doing it anyway. She questions Suri's orders. She has her own moral code. She says "No" to the hero. NO! TO! THE! HERO!

There's a scene where Suri tries to do that typical hero thing – "Don't worry, I'll handle everything" – and she literally laughs in his face. Not cute giggling. Proper "Are you insane?" laughter.

The girl behind me went "YESSS QUEEN" so loud that three rows turned around. We all nodded in agreement though.

That Interval Though

Interval hit and nobody moved.

I'm serious. Usually, there's a mad rush for the bathroom, popcorn refills, smoke breaks. This time? Everyone just sat there processing.

The uncle finally broke the silence: "This is not what I expected."

Someone else: "Is Vijay okay? Like, emotionally?"

HR manager (apparently she has no chill): "If this is his therapy, I support it."

I went to get water and overheard at least five different conversations, all variations of "What the fuck are we watching and why does it hurt so good?"

Second Half: Choose Violence

If the first half was a slow burn, the second half chose violence. Emotional violence. Physical violence. Violence against my tear ducts.

The action scenes? RAW. No slow-motion hero walks. No physics-defying stunts. Just desperate people trying to survive. There's a fight scene in a refugee camp where Suri is outnumbered, and instead of becoming superhuman, he just... struggles. Gets hit. Bleeds. Barely survives.

I caught myself holding my breath. The fitness band later showed 110 bpm. During a movie. While sitting. My body thought I was the one fighting.

The Sri Lankan Civil War Parts Hit Different

My family doesn't talk about it much, but my grandmother's family fled Burma during World War 2. Lost everything. Started over with nothing.

Watching the refugee scenes in Kingdom, seeing families with that same look my grandmother described – that specific combination of loss, fear, and forced hope – I had to look away several times.

This isn't poverty porn. This isn't Oscar-bait suffering. This is "your comfort comes at someone else's cost" reality, and it's served without any sugar coating.

The theater was SILENT during these portions. Not even popcorn crunching. Just 200+ people collectively holding their breath.

WHEN NANI SHOWED UP I LOST MY ENTIRE MIND

I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENS BUT OH MY GODDDDDDD.

The entire theater ERUPTED. The HR manager SCREAMED. The uncle stood up and did a full salute. Someone started crying (might have been me).

It's not just a cameo. It's not fan service. It's integral to the plot and it's perfect and I'm getting goosebumps again just thinking about it.

Also, side note: How is Nani reverse-aging? WHAT IS HIS SKINCARE ROUTINE? SIR, THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW.

That Climax Broke Me and Then Fixed Me

I can't spoil it. I won't spoil it. But the last 30 minutes are...

You know that feeling when you're on a roller coaster, that moment at the very top before the drop, where you're thinking "Why did I do this to myself?" but also "This is the most alive I've felt in years"?

That. For 30 straight minutes.

When THAT moment happens (you'll know when you see it), the girl behind me grabbed her boyfriend and just sobbed. The uncle sat down heavily like someone had punched him. I...

Look, I'm a 34-year-old man. I have a mortgage. I do my own taxes. I hadn't cried in a movie theater since Baahubali 2.

I ugly cried. The kind where you're trying to be quiet but your body won't cooperate. Shoulders shaking, nose running, the works. Thank God for mask culture because I just pulled mine up and let it all out.

The Credits Scene That Caused Mass Hysteria

STAY. FOR. THE. CREDITS.

I'm begging you. I don't care if your bladder is about to explode. HOLD IT.

When it happened, the collective gasp was so loud I thought someone had fainted. Then silence. Then someone started clapping. Then we ALL started clapping. In 2025. In a multiplex. We gave a standing ovation to a CREDITS SCENE.

The HR manager was filming the audience reaction instead of the screen. Smart woman. That video is probably viral on Instagram already.

The Walk of Shame/Pride to the Parking Lot

Walking out was surreal. Usually, people rush out, already on their phones, back to real life.

Not this time.

Groups of strangers were having full discussions in the lobby. The couple from behind me were hugging. HUGGING. After a movie.

The uncle grabbed my shoulder and said, "Beta, this is why we watch movies."

In the parking lot, I sat in my car for 20 minutes, just processing. Checked my phone: 47 messages in the WhatsApp group. Everyone wanting to know if it was worth it.

How do you explain that it's not just worth it, it's necessary?

The Drive Home Where I Had an Existential Crisis

Driving home at 1:47 AM, roads empty except for food delivery bikes and late-night workers, I had a full-on existential crisis.

When did we become okay with mediocrity? When did we start celebrating actors for just showing up? When did we lower our standards so much that basic competence felt like excellence?

And more importantly: If Vijay could do THIS, what else have we been missing? What other stories are we not telling because we're too busy playing it safe?

I may have run a red light. Don't judge me. My mind was elsewhere.

Coming Home to Reality

I got home at 2:15 AM. My wife was asleep. My mother-in-law had left a passive-aggressive note about wasting money on "that wrestler boy's movies."

I woke my wife up. I had to. She saw my face – probably still puffy from crying – and immediately went, "Oh my God, did someone die?"

"No," I said. "Someone came back to life."

She thought I was having a breakdown. I showed her a clip someone had already uploaded on Twitter (illegally filmed, don't do this, but also thank you stranger for capturing that moment).

She watched it twice. Then looked at me. "We're going tomorrow morning?"

"First show."

"Your mother will judge us."

"Let her."

Why This Matters More Than Any Review Score

This isn't just about Vijay's comeback. This isn't even just about one good movie.

This is about what happens when artists remember they're artists. When directors trust audiences. When actors choose craft over commerce. When someone, ANYONE, in this industry decides to be brave.

Kingdom is proof that we don't need to copy Bollywood. We don't need to remake Korean films. We don't need to dumb things down for the "mass audience."

We just need to tell honest stories with honest performances.

My Totally Unbiased, Completely Objective Rating

5/5 stars. Fight me.

"But what about the slow first half?" Don't care. 5/5.

"But the runtime is too long!" Your attention span is too short. 5/5.

"But the villains could have been better developed!" You're right but also shut up. 5/5.

This isn't just a movie. It's a reminder of why we fell in love with movies. It's a therapy session disguised as entertainment. It's Vijay Deverakonda's middle finger to everyone who wrote him off.

It's everything.

Final Thoughts at 4:23 AM

My wife just knocked on the bathroom door asking if I'm okay. No, I'm not okay. I'm TRANSCENDENT.

Watch Kingdom. Take your parents. Take your ex. Take your worst enemy. Everyone needs to see this.

And to Vijay, if you're somehow reading this (hi PR team who definitely monitors social media):

Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for trusting us with this performance. Thank you for reminding us what you're capable of.

Just... don't leave us again, okay? We barely survived the Liger era.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to book tickets for the morning show and figure out how to explain to my boss why I'll be late again tomorrow.

Worth it.

P.S. - That person filming clips in the theater? Normally I'd judge you but that Nani scene deserved to be shared immediately. You're still wrong though. But also thank you.

P.P.S. - To my mother-in-law who will definitely read this because my wife will show her: Yes, I'm talking about "that wrestler boy." He's back. Deal with it.

P.P.P.S. - It's now 4:31 AM and I just booked tickets for four more shows this weekend. My credit card is crying but my soul is singing.

FAQ Section

Q1: Is Kingdom suitable for family viewing?
A1: Kingdom carries a U/A rating and contains intense action sequences and mature themes related to war and violence. It's suitable for teens and adults but might be too intense for younger children.

Q2: Is Kingdom the first part of a series?
A2: Yes, Kingdom is planned as the first installment of a two-part saga. The film ends with hints about a sequel, and the makers have confirmed that this is Part 1 of the Kingdom franchise.

Q3: How is Vijay Deverakonda's performance compared to his previous films?
A3: Most critics and audiences agree that this is Vijay's best performance since Arjun Reddy. His portrayal is more restrained and authentic compared to his recent films, showing significant maturity as an actor.

Q4: What languages is Kingdom available in?
A4: Kingdom is primarily in Telugu but is also dubbed in Tamil and Hindi. The Hindi version is titled "Saamrajya" and features voice-over by Ranbir Kapoor.

Q5: Is it necessary to know about Sri Lankan history to understand the film?
A5: While the film is set against the backdrop of Sri Lankan civil war, the story is self-contained and can be enjoyed without prior historical knowledge. The film provides enough context for viewers to understand the setting.

Backlink Strategy

1. IMDb Kingdom Page - "For complete cast and crew details of Kingdom"

2. Times of India Movie Review Section - "Read more Telugu movie reviews and updates"

3. BookMyShow - "Book your tickets for Kingdom at nearby theaters"

4. Anirudh Ravichander's Official Profile - "Explore more music by Kingdom's composer Anirudh Ravichander"

5. Sithara Entertainments - "Learn about Kingdom's production house and their upcoming projects"

6. Telugu Cinema News - "Stay updated with latest Telugu cinema news and updates"

7. Film Industry Analysis - "Get detailed box office analysis and film industry insights"

8. Gowtam Tinnanuri Filmography - "Explore other works by Kingdom's director Gowtam Tinnanuri"