Movie: Kantara Chapter 1
Rating: 3/5
Banner: Hombale Films
Cast: Rishab Shetty, Rukmini Vasanth, Jayaram, Gulshan Devaiah, Pramod Shetty, Rakesh Poojari, Prakash Thuminad, Deepak Rai Panaje, Hariprashanth M G, Shaneel Gautham, Naveen Bondel and others
Music: B. Ajaneesh Loknath
DOP: Arvind S. Kashyap
Editor: Suresh Mallaiah
Production Designer: Banglan
Produced by: Vijay Kiragandur
Written and Directed by: Rishab Shetty
Release Date: October 2, 2025
Released in 2022, Kantara not only became a box office sensation across India but also won multiple National Awards, including Best Actor for its creator and lead, Rishab Shetty. After nearly two years in the making, its much-awaited prequel, Kantara: Chapter 1, has finally hit theaters today amid huge anticipation.
The big question now is — does it live up to expectations?
Story:
The story is set many years before the events of the 2022 film. King Vijayendra (Jayaram) crowns Kulasekhar (Gulshan Devaiah) as the next ruler, but Kulasekhar is unfit to lead. In contrast, his sister Kanakavathi (Rukmini Vasanth) is intelligent and perceptive.
In the nearby Kantara region, only the local tribes are permitted to roam; even kings have no authority there.
Berme (Rishab Shetty), the leader of the Kantara people, impresses Kanakavathi with his strength, wins her admiration, and secures permission for his people to trade at the Bandar Port.
Circumstances soon take a dark turn when Kulasekhar vows to dominate the Kantara tribe and kills many villagers, including Berme’s mother. This unleashes another side of Berme, as he becomes possessed by various deities. But someone close betrays him in his quest.
Who is that traitor? And how does Berme deliver justice to his tribe and restore the path of dharma?
Artistes’ Performances:
Rishab Shetty, who won a National Award for his performance in the original, returns in the prequel as a tribal leader. He takes on multiple avatars whenever the possessing spirits take hold — at times embodying a divine force, and at other moments channeling different deities within him. In these sequences, he is undeniably powerful and compelling.
The standout revelation of the film is Rukmini Vasanth. She not only looks regal and radiant as the princess but also delivers a riveting performance in a crucial episode in the second half. It is a well-written role, and she makes the most of it.
Jayaram shines as the aging king, while Gulshan Devaiah brings credibility to his part. Unfortunately, the supporting cast and comic relief actors end up being more irritating than entertaining.
Technical Excellence:
This film is mounted on a much larger scale than the previous installment, with outstanding visual effects and impressive production design. The cinematography is top-notch. Although a few sequences could have been executed better in terms of VFX, the overall visual quality remains superb. Arvind S. Kashyap’s work behind the camera is another major highlight, with the forest sequences captured with stunning precision.
Ajaneesh Loknath’s contribution to Kantara: Chapter 1 is also a significant asset. While the film does not quite reach the intensity of the iconic “Varaharoopam” track, he makes up for it in other aspects of the soundtrack.
Highlights:
Rukmini Vasanth
Rishab Shetty’s efforts
Bigger scale of production and visuals
The final moments
Drawback:
The large part of the first half
The boring comedy in both halves
Excessive runtime
Analysis
Rishab Shetty returns as writer, director, and lead in Kantara: Chapter 1, the much-anticipated prequel to the 2022 blockbuster. The meticulous world-building and expanded production scale are immediately evident, with the opening sequences — the forest action block, the chariot episode, and the tiger scenes — setting the stage for an ambitious cinematic experience.
Visually, the film is top-class, but the first half feels uneven. For Telugu audiences especially, the humor falls flat, as several Kannada comedians dominate the early portions with jokes that fail to land. These comedy tracks act as fillers while Shetty gradually sets up the drama, causing the narrative to drag.
The interval sequence, however, emerges as a major highlight. With a powerful background score, striking CG, and strong execution, it grips the audience and raises expectations for the latter half.
The second half delivers on that promise, showcasing another dimension of Rishab Shetty’s character, along with war sequences and impactful twists. While a few repetitive comedy dialogues persist, the narrative gains momentum and weight.
The climax, featuring divine revelations, provides spectacle and emotional depth, leaving a lasting impression. The film concludes with a clear hint at another installment in the Kantara universe.
That said, the writing remains uneven, and the pacing suffers in both halves, making the runtime feel stretched. In comparison to the original, Kantara: Chapter 1 is undeniably bigger in scale, ambition, and technical finesse. Yet it does not fully recreate the raw, mystical energy of the 2022 film. Some segments — particularly Gulshan Devaiah’s track and portions of the Telugu dubbing — feel off-key, though the latter half largely keeps viewers engaged.
The film’s true magic surfaces in the final thirty minutes. From the moment Gulshan Devaiah’s character cues the musician to begin the ritual performance, to the point where Shetty’s character erupts in fury, the film comes alive. This stretch is gripping and carries the spiritual intensity that defined the original.
Overall, Kantara: Chapter 1 works as a decent prequel. It surpasses the original in scale and visual grandeur, but falls short in narrative engagement and the wow factor. A dull first half weighs it down, but the strong second half redeems it, making it a worthy, if not flawless, addition to the franchise.
Bottom-line: Magical world
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