Kabzaa release date: Real Star Upendra’s gangster film eyeing a February 2023 theatrical outing?

Director R Chandru’s Kabzaa is seen as one of the next big-ticket films from the Kannada industry. The film, which is about a gangster who ruled south India, has Real Star Upendra in the lead and boasts a massive ensemble cast. Such is the vastness of the canvas and narrative that Chandru has mounted that the film is being released in two parts, the first of which is ready. Chandru, who is releasing the film in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, Odia and Bhojpuri has been looking for a good window to bring this film to theatres.

In earlier interviews, the filmmaker, who has co-produced Kabzaa with Alankar Pandian of Invenio Origin, had said that he was keen to bring the film to theatres as early as December. But the delays in production and post-production and then, in finding the right distribution partners meant that he could not meet this deadline. He has now tied up with Anand Pandit Motion Pictures as co-producer and presenter for the Hindi version. Since January has a lot of Tamil and Telugu Sankranti releases, followed by the Republic Day holiday with Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan and Challenging Star Darshan’s Kranti, Chandru and his team are apparently eyeing a February 19 release. This would give a good 3-week gap between Kranti and Kabzaa, they reckon.

Although fans are eagerly awaiting to see what Chandru brings to the table, the teaser, which came out in September sparked comparisons with KGF, including the visuals, colour grading and music. The similarity in the music, of course, is because KGF composer Ravi Basrur has worked on this too. Also, rumour is that the narrative of Kabzaa follows a father-son relationship, while KGF was about a son fulfilling a promise made to his mother.

Kabzaa’s cast includes Shriya Saran, Kiccha Sudeep, Kota Srinivas Rao, Kabir Duhan Singh, Nawab Shah, Danish Akthar Saifi, Samuthirakani, Krishna Murali Posani, Murali Sharma, Pramod Shetty, among others.