Kabzaa is a 2023 period epic film created by R. Chandru, it's set in the 1970s and focuses on Arkeshwara, an Indian Air Force pilot who's forced into the life of a gangster after forming deadly rivalries in the lawless gang ridden world of Amarapuram. As one can imagine from seeing that fire trailer, by the way that's a 10/10 trailer, it takes heavy inspiration from KGF. The premise, plot, characters, and aesthetic all take inspiration from it, and there's nothing wrong with that, but it does struggle overall with originality and emotional weight which gives it heavy wasted potential.
The actual plot of the film is a bit too simple, it is for KGF too but they make the most of it by deeply exploring Rocky's characterization and the roles of his enemies. Kabzaa does this but merely brushes major parts off, and there's more exposition than action. But the story itself is followable, only minor confusion by the name dropping of the characters. It follows Arkeshwara leading a normal life until the upcoming election for Chief Minister changes the character's lives. Arkeshwara is in love with Madhumati, who's the daughter of a dreaded king Veer Bahadur, known for owning a massive slave force and being a powerful man during the British Raj. Due to the power vacuum he and multiple gang factions compete for power, leading to his rival gangster Khaleed and his son Sartaaj to start a shootout in Amarapuram. Arkeshwara's courageous brother Sarkeswhara kills Sartaaj and this act changes everybody. Khaleed butchers Sarkeshwara and this may be one of the most emotional parts, though it's quickly glossed over in favor of progressing the plot. Arkeshwara has previously been shown to be cowardly but is put in rage by this, and kills the police officer who betrayed him to Khaleed. Arkeshwara is forced to run and in a short span becomes a self taught gangster who's pit against Khaleed, but he does have help from Veer Bahadur who supports him. Eventually he is allied with Target, another gangster who was self taught like him, and he and his new allies turn against the other gangsters in the area including Bhangira and Malik. The problem is that these plot points happen too fast, these emotional troubles for the main character and characterizations of the villains could have been deeply explored, and they were to an extent in KGF.
The film gets slightly better in the third act than in the middle, when it's shown that Arkeshwara took charge of Bhangira's massive criminal empire for his own safety and had kids with Mandumati, much to the disapproval of Bahadur. It's shown that he craves Arkeshwara's power and despised his daughter for eloping with a gangster, so he turns on them both and kills his daughter's kids. I feel like Arkeshwara should have seen this coming but it can be excused. Bahadur sends the dreaded cop Bhargava Bakshi to apprehend Arkeshwara, but out of nowhere another gangster named Siddantha attacks both of them, and this is to be the plot for the sequel. Overall Kabzaa works as a movie, it has spectacular visuals and among the best soundtrack I've seen in film, it constantly gives you something to be excited about but the writing itself is flawed and you don't know what you're supposed to be feeling. It is worth watching however, heck unlike Rishab Shetty, R. Chandru can actually write a coherent story with likable characters. Hope the sequel can improve on the weak points of this film. I theorize that Siddantha was the gangster who killed Arkeshwara's father in the beginning of the film, and if it's true it would fit perfectly with an arc for the sequel.
The actual plot of the film is a bit too simple, it is for KGF too but they make the most of it by deeply exploring Rocky's characterization and the roles of his enemies. Kabzaa does this but merely brushes major parts off, and there's more exposition than action. But the story itself is followable, only minor confusion by the name dropping of the characters. It follows Arkeshwara leading a normal life until the upcoming election for Chief Minister changes the character's lives. Arkeshwara is in love with Madhumati, who's the daughter of a dreaded king Veer Bahadur, known for owning a massive slave force and being a powerful man during the British Raj. Due to the power vacuum he and multiple gang factions compete for power, leading to his rival gangster Khaleed and his son Sartaaj to start a shootout in Amarapuram. Arkeshwara's courageous brother Sarkeswhara kills Sartaaj and this act changes everybody. Khaleed butchers Sarkeshwara and this may be one of the most emotional parts, though it's quickly glossed over in favor of progressing the plot. Arkeshwara has previously been shown to be cowardly but is put in rage by this, and kills the police officer who betrayed him to Khaleed. Arkeshwara is forced to run and in a short span becomes a self taught gangster who's pit against Khaleed, but he does have help from Veer Bahadur who supports him. Eventually he is allied with Target, another gangster who was self taught like him, and he and his new allies turn against the other gangsters in the area including Bhangira and Malik. The problem is that these plot points happen too fast, these emotional troubles for the main character and characterizations of the villains could have been deeply explored, and they were to an extent in KGF.
The film gets slightly better in the third act than in the middle, when it's shown that Arkeshwara took charge of Bhangira's massive criminal empire for his own safety and had kids with Mandumati, much to the disapproval of Bahadur. It's shown that he craves Arkeshwara's power and despised his daughter for eloping with a gangster, so he turns on them both and kills his daughter's kids. I feel like Arkeshwara should have seen this coming but it can be excused. Bahadur sends the dreaded cop Bhargava Bakshi to apprehend Arkeshwara, but out of nowhere another gangster named Siddantha attacks both of them, and this is to be the plot for the sequel. Overall Kabzaa works as a movie, it has spectacular visuals and among the best soundtrack I've seen in film, it constantly gives you something to be excited about but the writing itself is flawed and you don't know what you're supposed to be feeling. It is worth watching however, heck unlike Rishab Shetty, R. Chandru can actually write a coherent story with likable characters. Hope the sequel can improve on the weak points of this film. I theorize that Siddantha was the gangster who killed Arkeshwara's father in the beginning of the film, and if it's true it would fit perfectly with an arc for the sequel.