Filmmaker Sekhar Kammula Talks About Dhanush's Kuberaa: 'I Don't Make Films With Anger'

News18

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Director Sekhar Kammula spoke to News18 about his film, Kuberaa. It stars Dhanush, Nagarjuna, and Rashmika Mandanna, and explores class-based divide.
In his latest film, Kuberaa director Sekhar Kammula brings together stars Dhanush, Nagarjuna, and Rashmika Mandanna in a narrative that straddles two starkly different worlds – the ultra-rich and the invisible poor. News18 Showsha spoke exclusively to the filmmaker shortly after the film's release. The director clarified that Kuberaa is not a dubbed film, as widely assumed.
Sekhar Kammula insisted that Kuberaa is bilingual and crafted with equal care in both Tamil and Telugu. During our conversation, the filmmaker also reflected on the emotional grammar of his cinema, the philosophical roots of Kuberaa, and working with Dhanush.
Excerpts from the interview:
How are you feeling about Kuberaa's reception so far?
Shekar Kammula: Reception has been exceptional, especially in Telugu and overseas. In Tamil Nadu, it's starting slowly, but picking up. Tamil reviews are excellent, but the theatrical collections there have been a little slow. Still, overall, I'm very happy with the outcome.
Can you share where exactly the idea of the film came about?
That's a difficult question. I don't even know exactly where it started. I think the initial spark came from the class divide, something that's becoming more and more visible in our country. We talk about development, comfort, GDP, but only a very small percentage of people benefit from that. A huge part of India remains invisible. Their lives don't count in the numbers. The idea that two worlds, slums and skyscrapers, can co-exist, sometimes side by side, probably sparked the story. And I thought, this story has to be told.
One striking aspect of the film is how it handles drama. Today, a lot of films just rush through scenes, and there's no emotional breathing room. Were you consciously trying to bring back drama?
I can't talk about other films. With my films, I wouldn't say I was trying to bring it back deliberately, but I do feel that we're quickly falling into a stereotype — where everything has to be fast. There's a perception that people don't have time, that they won't sit through 'emotion-heavy' films. But I believe that emotional connection is fundamental to being human. Crying, laughing, sharing… these things still matter. So, yes, I try to write stories that connect at that core emotional level.
The plot of Kuberaa, a tussle between a beggar and a multi-billionaire, has strong commercial potential. It's a thrilling premise. But I wanted to go beyond that. Who are these people? How did they become beggars? Society often looks at them with apathy: 'Why don't you work?' But it's not that simple. These aren't people who chose to be lazy. I wanted to show their lives with empathy. What happens when you offer them work? How do they respond? That's where the emotional core of the film lies.
Where do you think that empathy comes from for you as a filmmaker? Are you using your art to express a kind of anger?
No, this isn't anger. I don't make films with anger. I'm like the character Deepak [Nagarjuna] in the film. We come out of the house and we see pain everywhere and we can't do anything about it. I've done candlelight marches after the Nirbhaya incident, but I've also asked students: Are you doing something every day to stop that from happening again? Are you respecting the women around you? Have you stopped gossiping about women? It has to start there.
I'm not Gandhi. I'm not trying to be an activist. I'm just using my craft, filmmaking, to tell stories that stay close to my conscience. Maybe it'll make someone think twice the next time they see a beggar at a signal. That moment when you're in a car and a beggar knocks, give or not give, it's such a real split-second moral dilemma. That's all of us. We're not bad people. But sometimes we're late to something, or unsure if someone's cheating us. Other days, we're moved and we give. That humanity, that confusion, is what I wanted to reflect.
The three beggars in the film seemed, for lack of a better word, a bit mentally unsound. Was that intentional?
I wouldn't say mentally unsound. They are naïve, yes. But each has a reason for ending up where they are. One misses home. One's protective of her child. One steals to survive. They're not the same. But when you place them in a completely new world, they appear clueless, out of place. That's what I was going for.
Why Dhanush for Deva?
The answer is simple: Why not Dhanush? Who else could play Deva? The character has a God-like presence, and Dhanush just nailed it. His performance has been praised across regions. I know people say I praise him too much, but I can't help it. He was phenomenal.
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What was the most challenging part of making Kuberaa?
The scale of it. Balancing two different worlds, casting stars like Dhanush, Rashmika, Nagarjuna, and still staying true to the script… that was tough. And then there was the execution. We shot in real locations: slums, railway stations, Gateway of India. We could've built sets, but we didn't. It was a conscious choice. It took a toll, but it also gave the film its raw, immersive energy.
So much of it could have been green-screened or staged. But you chose not to…
Yes, that was intentional. It's easy to do it on a set now, but it wouldn't have the same soul. We knew it would be hard. There were low days, but we kept reassuring ourselves: this has to be shot this way.
Now that the film is out, is there anything you wish you'd done differently?
Not really. As a writer, if 60 to 70 percent of your vision makes it to screen, that's a success. I think we came close. Some people feel it's a bit long, but I felt that length was necessary to tell each story properly. So no, I don't regret it.
Do you see any light at the end of this rich-poor disparity we're living through?
Yes, I do. I live in hope. Things go to extremes, intolerance, injustice, but then we correct ourselves. That's the cycle. We've seen it happen before. We will again.
Kuberaa is currently running in cinemas.
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