Vijay Deverakonda’s Kingdom: The Next Liger?

Unlike Liger (2022), which faced huge hype and yet was badly received by critics. Vijay Deverakonda is in the spotlight yet again with Kingdom. Directed by Ravi Kiran Kola, Kingdom is expected to be an engaging action drama due to its strong writing and grounded story. The question on everyone’s lips, including fans and critics: Will Vijay Deverakonda’s Kingdom salvage Vijay’s career. Or will it be walking the road again for Liger?

Vijay Deverakonda’s Kingdom:

With Pure Jagannadh directing it and Ananya Panday as the co-star, Liger was supposed to have been Vijay’s big Bollywood Debut. But poor writing marked by over-the-top action, coupled with a terribly confused screenplay, undid all that. It released with even more hype and anticipation from the fans but ended up being a disaster at the box office. A fact embellished on by being memed heavily on social media. The space the backlash occupies was enough to rattle Vijay’s rising power.

Kingdom: A New Start?

Kingdom looks extremely rooted in the Telugu sensibility, unlike Liger, with Kola being a director who gives utmost priority to raw emotions and realistic storylines. The character Vijay plays apparently combines power with vulnerability and intense transformation.

The snippets that have come out from the shoot along with industry gossip give an impression. That Kingdom is slated to be a grit-filled politically charged drama with an overdose of action-a genre that has successfully worked out for Vijay in the past. Particularly in films like Arjun Reddy and Geetha Govindam.

ALSO READ: Is Vijay Deverakonda Playing Dual Role in Kingdom? Hidden Clues Revealed

A Second Chance or A Déjà Vu?

Kingdom seems to have all ingredients for bringing Vijay Deverakonda back into the serious cinematic fold. However, much depends on storytelling and execution. The actor has proved, time and again, that he can carry out complex roles with utmost ease; all he needs is the right script. And while Liger foundered, perhaps Kingdom could be the one to prove that Vijay still has plenty to offer. Fans are hopeful, but only time and box office numbers will tell.