Sekhar Kammula Interview: Kuberaa is a story of extremes, Dhanush and Nagarjuna will shock you

Kuberaa is all set to hit the screens on June 20, 2025. Sekhar Kammula, the sensible director, has made this film and opens up about making a social drama for the first time, working with the likes of Dhanush and Nagarjuna, future projects, and how hard it is to make a pan-India film. Here is the transcript:

Sekhar Kammula opens up about his new big release Kuberaa

You have completed 25 years in the industry. How do you feel?

I came back from the US with big dreams in my eyes and started making films from a very small house in Secunderabad. I always followed my heart and made films that I liked. In my 25th year, I’m ready with my first pan-India film, with one of the biggest stars in the country. Life has come full circle, and I have no complaints whatsoever.

Going by the trailer, can we call Kuberaa a social thriller?

Yes, you can. The film starts on a simple note, showcasing the different stories of Dhanush and Nagarjuna. But when their worlds collide, things change, and a crazy turnaround of events makes the proceedings quite thrilling to watch on the big screen.

The trailer does not give away much. What is Kuberaa all about?

Kuberaa is the story about extremes and features the world's richest man and a poor beggar. Dhanush plays the beggar, and he doesn't want anything in life, but the rich man, who is filled with greed and power, wants everything in life. So, what happens when a small incident leads to the collision of these two different worlds is the basic story of the film. The idea originated from this simple point that stuck with me years ago. Once I found more material to develop a script, I went all out.

What made you choose Dhanush and Nagarjuna as the leads for Kuberaa?

The moment I started writing the beggar’s role, the only person who came to mind was Dhanush. Only an actor like him can pull off such a complex role, and once you watch the film, he’ll shock you and blow you away with his performance. As for Nagarjuna, I always wanted a star for that role. That’s when I felt Nagarjuna, who reinvents himself time and again, would be a perfect fit. His role is the most challenging in the film, and Nagarjuna will shock you with his performance.

Tell us more about Rashmika Mandanna’s role.

Rashmika is an actor who excels when challenged with intense roles. She’s the surprise package of the film and will leave you in awe. Her role is quite pivotal and adds a new dimension to Kuberaa. Alongside her, Jim Sarbh is also terrific in the film. His role is quite complex, but he pulls it off effortlessly.

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What was the biggest challenge in making Kuberaa?

We shot Kuberaa in both Telugu and Tamil. Initially, I thought it would be a cakewalk since I had a strong team. But once the shoot started, it became stressful. Repeating scenes in two languages, ensuring lip-sync, songs, dialogues, scenarios, and nativity, everything had to land perfectly. That’s one of the major reasons the film took a lot of time to wrap up.

Tell us about the performances in Kuberaa?

I was blown away by Dhanush's performance. Kuberaa has Dhanush, like you've never seen him before. No one apart from him would have pulled off the beggar's role. Nagarjuna is a senior performance and you will get see him in a new avatar.

You always work with new music directors. What made you choose Devi Sri Prasad?

When you're making pan-India films like Kuberaa, you need someone with vast experience, and who better than DSP to score the music? I truly understood his talent after listening to the film’s background score. His music elevates the thriller to the next level.

Is the news about your next with Nani and Leader 2 true?

I do have a film with Nani in mind, but not at the moment. I’ll approach him only when I find a suitable script. Regarding Leader 2, I have locked the script, but I feel it won’t resonate with today’s culture and sensibilities. I need to rewrite it. For now, I’m only focusing on Kuberaa, which is my dream project.