Kingston (film)
| Kingston | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Kamal Prakash |
| Written by | Kamal Prakash Dhivek Sekar (dialogues) |
| Produced by | G. V. Prakash Kumar Bhavani Sre Umesh KR Bansal |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Gokul Benoy |
| Edited by | San Lokesh |
| Music by | G. V. Prakash Kumar |
Production companies | Parallel Universe Pictures Zee Studios |
| Distributed by | Colors Frames Alagappan III |
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
| Budget | est. ₹20 crore[1] |
| Box office | est. ₹5.35 crore[2] |
Kingston (also marketed as Kingston and the Cursed Sea) is a 2025 Indian Tamil-language fantasy horror adventure film[3] directed by Kamal Prakash, in his directorial debut. It is produced by G. V. Prakash Kumar, who also enacts in the lead role, Bhavani Sre and Umesh KR Bansal, under Parallel Universe Pictures and Zee Studios. The cast also includes Divyabharathi, Elango Kumaravel, Sabumon Abdusamad and Chetan.
The film was officially announced in October 2023 under the tentative title GV 25, as it is Prakash's 25th film in the lead role, and the official title was announced a few days later. Principal photography commenced the same month. The film has music composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar, cinematography handled by Gokul Benoy and editing by San Lokesh.[4]
Kingston was theatrically released on 7 March 2025 and received mixed reviews from critics. The film was a failure at the box office.
Plot
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion with: March 2025. You can help by adding to it. (March 2025) |
The coast of Thoovathur in Thoothukudi district has been banned from fishing, despite a hamlet living by the coast, whose main source of income is from fishing. Rumour has it that the sea is cursed and the fishermen who venture out into the waters never return. Kingston "King", one of the fisherfolks in the hamlet, is the handyman of Thomas, the kingpin of the smuggling trade of the region. Things get complicated when Kingston gets to know that he is being used to smuggling drugs instead of sea cucumbers, and decides to venture out into the haunted sea by himself, only to unearth dark secrets of the past.
Cast
[edit]- G. V. Prakash Kumar as Kingston 'King'
- Divyabharathi as Divya
- Chetan as Solomon
- Nithin Sathya
- Azhagam Perumal
- Elango Kumaravel
- Sabumon Abdusamad as Thomas
- Shah Ra
- Antony
- Arunachaleswaran
- Rajesh Balachandiran
- Ram Nishanth
Production
[edit]Development
[edit]In early October 2023, it was reported that music composer-turned-actor G. V. Prakash Kumar would turn as producer for his 25th film in the lead role. He would produce it with an estimate budget of ₹20 crore (US$2.3 million) in association with Zee Studios.[1] On 9 October, the project was officially announced by the new production banner Parallel Universe Pictures, tentatively titled GV 25.[5] It is directed by Kamal Prakash, who previously had worked with Prakash in Kadhalikka Yaarum Illa (2016).[6] Divyabharathi, who also previously acted alongside Prakash in Bachelor (2021), was cast to play the lead actress role.[7]
Two days later, the official title, Kingston, and the film's crew was revealed. A muhurat puja was held the same day in Chennai. The crew includes cinematographer Gokul Benoy, editor San Lokesh, art director S. S. Moorthy, stunt choreographer Dhilip Subbarayan, costume designer Poornima Ramaswamy, dialogue writer Divek S Sekar and publicity designer Gopi Prassana.[8] Antony and Elango Kumaravel were announced being a part of cast.[9]
Filming and post-production
[edit]Principal photography began with the first schedule on 5 October 2023 at a film studio in Chennai. Reportedly, the makers began filming by erecting a ship set.[10] On 19 January 2025, G. V. Prakash Kumar announced that he has completed his portions,[11] and on 8 February 2025, he announced that the dubbing process had begun.[12]
Music
[edit]| Kingston | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Language | Tamil | |||
| Label | Saregama | |||
| Producer | G. V. Prakash Kumar | |||
| G. V. Prakash Kumar chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Kingston | ||||
| ||||
The music and background score is composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar.[8] The audio rights were acquired by Saregama.[13] The first single "Raasa Raasa" released on 31 January 2025.[14] The second single "Manda Bathram" released on 15 February 2025.[15]The third single "Kingston Title Track" having lyrics written by Kaber Vasuki and Arunraja Kamaraj and sung by them along with Smith Asher was released on 1 March 2025.[16]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Raasa Raasa" | Yugabharathi | G. V. Prakash Kumar, Sublahshini | |
| 2. | "Manda Bathram" | Gana Francis | Gana Francis | |
| 3. | "Kingston Title Track" | Kaber Vasuki, Arunraja Kamaraj | Smith Asher, Kaber Vasuki, Arunraja Kamaraj |
Release
[edit]Theatrical
[edit]Kingston released in theatres on 7 March 2025.[17] Apart from its original Tamil language, it was also released in the Hindi and Telugu languages.[6] The film was certified U/A 16+ by the Central Board of Film Certification.[18]
Home media
[edit]The satellite and digital rights of the film were acquired by ZEE5 and Zee Tamil.[19]
Reception
[edit]Critical response
[edit]Kausalya Rachavelpula of The Hans India gave 3/5 stars and wrote, "While Kingston is not without its flaws, it remains an intriguing attempt at blending folklore, suspense, and adventure. Its striking cinematography, atmospheric storytelling, and committed lead performance make it an engaging watch for those who appreciate mood-driven horror over outright scares".[20] Abhinav Subramanian of The Times of India gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote "Nothing deflates a seafaring horror faster than skeletons that can’t seem to skeletonize anyone—leaving Kingston adrift in unnecessarily stormy narrative waters.[...] The muddled screenplay struggles to clearly communicate its complex mythology through dialogue that shifts between contemporary and regional dialect."[21] Sanjay Ponnappa of India Today gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote "Overall, 'Kingston and the Cursed Sea' is an ambitious attempt at a genre rarely explored in Indian cinema. For its visual effects and the horror elements in the second half, the film could be deemed watchable."[22]
Avinash Ramachandran of The Indian Express gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote "Kingston is trapped under its own weight of having to cramp up multiple storylines to set the stage for the showdown.[...] Kingston makes you feel like reading one of those fascinating pulp fiction stories that are not just radical and intriguing, but also knew never to overstay its welcome."[23] Anusha Sundar of OTTPlay gave 2/5 stars and wrote "With its convoluted screenplay and no breathing space for character development, Kingston is a half-baked attempt to make a first-of-its-kind genre film. You will be in for a disappointment if you had thought Kingston would be genre loyal for its entirety."[24] Prashanth Vallavan of Cinema Express gave 1.5/5 stars and wrote "Kingston seems to exhibit technical competency, and you could see how it could have offered an entertaining genre film.[...] However, when the pay-off is just them telling you it was never a magic show but a stand-up comedy routine all along, perhaps the joke is on you. "[25]
Bhuvanesh Chandar of The Hindu wrote "The problem is that the narrative cuts back and forth in such a ragged rhythm that it hardly allows you to breathe in the world of Kingston. There’s no space for silences, punctuations or any scope for good drama.[...]The characters we follow are no cleverer than the stereotypical horror movie chumps with no survival instincts."[26]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Rajaraman, Kaushik (4 October 2023). "GV Prakash turns producer with GV25; to have a grand launch". DT Next. Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "Kingston Day 7 Tamil Box Office: GV Prakash's film continues downward spiral; grosses Rs 20 lakh". PINKVILLA. 13 March 2025. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
- ^ "Kamal Haasan Unveils The First Look Poster of GV Prakash Kumar's Kingston". Film Companion. 11 October 2023. Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ^ "Kingston: GV Prakash's sea fantasy drama first look will be out sooner than you expected". OTTPlay. Archived from the original on 5 January 2025. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ Mullappilly, Sreejith (9 January 2025). "Kingston Teaser: GV Prakash fights a mysterious force in the ocean". Cinema Express. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
- ^ a b "Kamal Haasan Unveils The First Look Poster of GV Prakash Kumar's Kingston". Film Companion. 11 October 2023. Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "GV Prakash to team up with Divyabharathi again for his 25th film". The Times of India. 9 October 2023. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Kamal Haasan unveils the title of GV Prakash's 25th film; first look revealed". The Times of India. 11 October 2023. Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "Yogi Babu turns scriptwriter for GV Prakash!". The Times of India. 11 October 2023. Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ Rajaraman, Kaushik (15 October 2023). "GV's Kingston a trilogy; team films massive ship sequence". DT Next. Archived from the original on 28 January 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ^ Features, C. E. (19 January 2025). "It's a wrap for GV Prakash's Kingston". Cinema Express. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
- ^ Kumar, Akshay (8 February 2025). "GV Prakash's Kingston enters dubbing stage". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 24 February 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
- ^ Saregama South [@saregamasouth] (10 October 2023). "Excited to reveal the electrifying title look of #Kingston - India's first sea-horror adventure extravaganza!" (Tweet). Retrieved 27 October 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ Kumar, Akshay (28 January 2025). "Kingston first single 'Raasa Raasa' to be out on this date". Cinema Express. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ Kumar, Akshay (15 February 2025). "'Manda Bathram' from GV Prakash's Kingston out". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 19 February 2025. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
- ^ Kumar, Akshay (1 March 2025). "GV Prakash's Kingston title track out". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 4 March 2025. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
- ^ "Kingston teaser OUT: GV Prakash headlines a swashbuckling sea fantasy; release date revealed". OTTPlay. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
- ^ Kumar, Akshay (6 March 2025). "GV Prakash's Kingston clears censorship formalities". Cinema Express. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
- ^ "Kingston: Tamil Nadu distributor revealed for GV Prakash's 25th film". Movie Crow. 4 March 2025.
- ^ "Kingston review: A visually rich horror-thriller that sets the stage well but could have deepened its supernatural menace". The Hans India. 7 March 2025.
- ^ "Kingston Movie Review : Visually striking but narratively adrift". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
- ^ "Kingston review: GV Prakash's film is a visual spectacle let down by mediocre story". India Today. 7 March 2025. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
- ^ "Kingston movie review: A promising sea creature feature watered down by its embellishments". The Indian Express. 7 March 2025. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
- ^ "Kingston Review: GV Prakash's sea adventure drowns in curse of convoluted story". OTTPlay. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
- ^ Vallavan, Prashanth (7 March 2025). "Kingston Movie Review: A stale horror film hidden beneath several convoluted ideas". Cinema Express. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ Chandar, Bhuvanesh (7 March 2025). "'Kingston' movie review: GV Prakash's unanchored horror adventure is lost at sea". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
