When Kanguva was first announced, it had all the makings of an epic fantasy action film — an intriguing premise, high expectations, and of course, Suriya in dual roles. The first trailer dropped, loaded with dazzling VFX, magical landscapes, and epic battle scenes that promised a cinematic feast. The hype was real. It looked like we were about to witness something truly grand, a visual extravaganza that would leave audiences in awe. Fast forward to now, with the release just around the corner, and the only thing we’re left with is confusion, a severe case of “What on Earth is going on here?” and a whole lot of “Meh.”
Let’s start with the basics. The film was sold to us as a fantasy action drama, right? One where Suriya dons the role of a fierce warrior in a fantastical land. The premise sounded solid — until the second trailer dropped. Suddenly, it felt like Kanguva went from an epic fantasy to a half-baked time travel drama. I mean, if I wanted déjà vu, I’d just watch Suriya’s 2016 film 24 again, because, spoiler alert: Kanguva seems to have borrowed heavily from it. Parallel timelines? Check. Fantasy warriors? Check. Time-traveling modern day? Check. If 24 and Kanguva were dating, they'd probably be making the same movie over and over again.
And don’t even get me started on the marketing and PR circus that’s been running in the background. With a dozen promos, several songs, and two trailers, it seems like the team is still figuring out what the movie actually is. Is it a fantasy action epic? Is it a time travel thriller? Or is it a confused concoction of both? The filmmakers are clearly as lost as the audience. The more they promote it, the less I want to watch it. If there’s one thing the movie is teaching me, it’s that confused marketing is an art form – and the creators are acing it.
The second trailer, which was supposed to clear things up, actually muddies the waters even more. It’s bland, uninspiring, and does nothing to make me excited about the film. Where’s the spectacle that was promised? Where’s the hook that would pull me into the story? All I see is a half-hearted attempt to blend two vastly different genres that just doesn’t work. It’s as if the filmmakers couldn’t decide between Game of Thrones or Fast & Furious, and ended up choosing neither. The result is a film that’s trying too hard to be everything, and in doing so, manages to be nothing at all.
The film, which has been in production since 2019, is finally releasing in 2024. That’s a five-year wait for a movie that still can’t decide what it wants to be when it grows up. With all the PR fluff and noise surrounding it, Kanguva still hasn’t managed to generate the kind of buzz you’d expect from a film of this scale. Sure, it’s got a big-budget marketing campaign, a couple of flashy trailers, and some impressive names attached to it. But let’s be real — that’s not enough to save a film that seems as lost as a GPS in the Bermuda Triangle.
So here’s the deal, Kanguva – you had me at “epic fantasy,” and then you lost me at “time-travel drama.” Until you figure out what you are and actually show me something worth the five-year wait, count me out. There’s plenty of real fantasy drama out there that doesn’t need to confuse its audience with split timelines, bad editing, and questionable marketing. The clock is ticking, and the release date is right around the corner (November 14, 2024, in case you forgot), but unless the team can get their act together and finally deliver on the epic promise, this film might just fade into the abyss of cinematic ‘what could’ve been.’