How the crisis-ridden Kannada film industry is pinning its hopes on Kantara: Chapter 1

Last year, of 227 Kannada releases, only eight succeeded at the box office; a dismal hit rate of under 3 percent left producers nursing losses to the tune of Rs 520 crore. In the first half of 2025, the number of new films had already crossed 170, a frantic pace that hasn’t translated into consistent success.

The one unexpected bright spot is the runaway success of Su from So (initialism for Sulochana from Someshwara), co-produced by Raj B. Shetty under his Lighter Buddha Films banner. It is not only a major hit in Kannada cinema but also one of 2025’s biggest surprise successes. However, on watching the film, its phenomenal appeal isn’t immediately obvious; it doesn’t overtly “communicate” anything specific to audiences.

Still, the alchemy of a hit film can be hard to pin down. Su from So has crossed the Rs 100-crore mark worldwide, with reports placing its global collection at over Rs 121 crore. Meanwhile, as many as 10 new Kannada films are releasing this Friday (September 19), leaving producers and makers anxiously waiting, fingers crossed, to see which — if any — will strike gold at the theatres.

Kantara: Chapter 1 under scrutiny

Undeterred by the falling success rate, hundreds of producers, actors, and technicians continue to enter the Kannada film industry, hoping their talent and fresh ideas will break through. The industry itself is betting on a string of pan-Indian releases to revive fortunes: Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1, Yash’s Toxic, Darshan’s Devil – The Hero, Sudeep’s Billa Ranga Badshaa, Ganesh and Ramesh Aravind’s Sincerely Raam, Prem-Dhruv Sarja’s KD, Arjun Janya’s 45, Vijaya Kumar’s Rachaiah, Dhananjaya’s Jingo, Upendra’s Buddhivantha 2, and Dinakar Toogudeepa’s Royal. Among these big-ticket projects, the prequel Kantara: Chapter 1 is the most anticipated, buoyed by the staggering success of its 2022 predecessor.

The original Kantara (Kannada for dense, mysterious forest) drew acclaim for its authentic depiction of the coastal traditions of Karnataka, particularly Bhuta Kola and Kambala (the buffalo race). Through a compelling folktale, a powerful original score (“Varaha Roopam”), and themes of cultural preservation and ecological conservation, the film resonated across India, especially along the western coast, earning both critical praise and record-breaking box-office returns. Released on September 30, 2022, it became the highest-grossing Kannada film of all time, which prompted the announcement of the prequel.

Kantara was also read as a critique of the oppression of native tribes subjected to caste-based exploitation. Yet critics note that, in his zeal to showcase indigenous culture, Rishab Shetty sometimes glamorised certain practices, diluting the social issues and turning the film primarily into an immersive spectacle. Some sequences evoke comparisons to Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Jallikattu (2019) and Mari Selvaraj’s Karnan (2021).

The film also faced the “Varaha Roopam” controversy, after Kerala-based band Thaikkudam Bridge accused the hit song of plagiarising their track “Navarasam.” A legal battle followed, including an initial court-ordered ban, multiple injunctions, and counter-petitions, before the dispute was resolved. The case highlighted the complexities of Indian music copyright and cross-jurisdictional litigation. Meanwhile, Kantara: Chapter 1 has already attracted scrutiny for allegedly normalising toxic, misogynistic, and hyper-nationalist elements of culture, heritage, and religion, a debate likely to intensify as its release (October 2) approaches.

Did Kantara appropriate an Adivasi tradition?

Kantara also drew controversy over allegations that it appropriated and blurred indigenous Adivasi traditions with mainstream Hinduism to promote a Hindutva agenda. Several complaints were filed in Karnataka against actor-activist Chetan Kumar for remarks he made about a cultural practice depicted in the film, and Bengaluru police registered a case against him under the IPC after Shivakumar, a Bajrang Dal convener from Bengaluru North, lodged a complaint.

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Chetan maintained that “Bhoota Kola is not part of Hindu traditions but of indigenous Adivasi people, and it was later hijacked by Aryans who came to India.” Rishab Shetty, however, countered in an interview that “Bhoota Kola is part of Hindu culture and rituals. I am a Hindu and I believe in my religion and customs, which nobody can question. What we have shown is rooted in Hindu dharma.” Refuting this, Chetan told this writer that “our Pambada/Nalike/Parawa practices are Bahujan traditions that predate Vedic-Brahminical Hinduism. We ask that Moolanivasi (Adivasi) cultures be portrayed truthfully on and off screen.”

The film was quickly embraced by the political right, which credited its nationwide success to an expression of pan-Indian Hindu identity and native metaphysics that allowed Hindu audiences across the country to connect with its themes despite their regional specificity. Critics argue that Rishab’s choice to stage the Bhoota Kola performance to the Sanskrit hymn “Varaha Roopam,” which invokes Vishnu’s third avatar, amounts to an appropriation of Adivasi rituals by the homogenising forces of Hindutva. Some analysts even contend that this very appropriation of Adivasi culture and tradition by majority Hindutva forces is a key reason for the first Kantara film’s extraordinary success.

Exploring post-colonial coastal culture

Kantara was featured in the Indian Panorama section of the 54th International Film Festival of India, where it won the Silver Peacock Special Jury Award. At the 70th National Film Awards, Rishab Shetty received the Best Actor award, and the film was honoured as Best Popular Film. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Kantara when he met Rishab — its director and protagonist — during a visit to Bengaluru, commending his performance. Rishab later shared a photo of the meeting and thanked the Prime Minister for his generosity.

Among the ten high-profile Kannada films in production, the prequel Kantara Chapter: 1 has generated year-long hype and raised expectations for both Kannada and Indian cinema. The production team has deliberately kept details under wraps, revealing only posters and occasional updates as a publicity strategy.

According to industry sources, the prequel is being made on a whopping Rs 125-crore budget, which makes it one of the most anticipated films in South Indian cinema. Following the massive success of the original, expectations for the second instalment are sky-high. Reports suggest the budget represents a 681 percent increase over the first film, though there is no official confirmation.

The prequel promises to be bigger in scale and production values, with a planned multi-language theatrical release and digital streaming, ensuring wide accessibility. Sources from the production team revealed that Kantara: Chapter 1 explores the ancient roots of the Bhoota Kola ritual and the mythological lore of land guardianship, set during the Kadamba dynasty of Banavasi in pre-colonial coastal Karnataka. Amazon Prime has acquired the digital rights, and the film will stream in Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, and English.

The ensemble cast includes Rishab Shetty as a Naga Sadhu with superhuman powers, along with Jayaram, Rakesh Poojari, Rukmini Vasanth as Kanakavathi, and Gulshan Devaiah as Kulashekara. B. Ajneesh Loknath composed the music and background score, while Arvind S. Kashyap handled cinematography. The story was co-written by Anirudh Mahesh, Shanil Gudu, Shanil Gowtham, and Rishab himself. Bangalan designed the production, Pragathi Setty created the costumes, and LavaKushan executed the VFX. The first-look poster and teaser were unveiled on November 23, 2024, with the publicity artwork by Kaani Studio.

Origins of the Bhuta Kola ritual

Chaluve Gowda, co-founder of Hombale Films, credits the entire Hombale team and says that films like KGF: Chapter 2 and Kantara reflect their plan to produce quality cinema. “The actors, directors, and crew have taken Kannada films to the next level and given them a huge platform on the national stage,” he adds. The Kantara team, in an Instagram post announcing the prequel, promised “more than just a glimpse,” describing it as a journey into “the sacred echoes of the past, where divinity weaves through every frame. Stay enchanted for a glimpse into the unseen,” the post read.

The film is being produced by Vijay Kiragandur of Hombale Films, a prominent Bengaluru-based production company known for diverse storytelling and large-scale projects. “This 13-year-old production house creates multilingual content with a special focus on Kannada cinema. Hombale has produced successful films including Raajakumara, the KGF series, Kantara, and Salaar. From production to distribution, Hombale continues to collaborate with filmmakers to bring stories that connect with audiences across regions,” Kiragandur told The Federal.

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With demand for the Kantara prequel growing in multiple languages, the latest development confirms that AA Films will distribute it across North India and Nepal, ensuring Hindi-speaking audiences can also witness the epic saga on the big screen. According to sources, the upcoming prequel aims to carry forward the Kantara legacy with a larger canvas and an even more immersive cinematic experience.

Members of the production team explain that Kantara: Chapter 1 explores the origins of the Bhuta Kola ritual and how the connection between humans, nature, and divine guardianship was established, setting the stage for the events of the 2022 film. In a conversation with this writer during a discussion at the Karnataka Chalanachitra Patrakartara Parishat, Rishab clarified, “Kantara 2 will not be a sequel but a prequel. What you have already seen is actually Part 2, and Part 1 will come soon. The idea came to me while I was shooting Kantara, because the story’s history has greater depth.”

The narrative delves into conflicts over sacred land and the transformation of humans’ relationship with the forest, the gods, and ancestral spirits. It blends mythology and action, exploring themes of faith, nature, and regional folklore while expanding the lore around the Daivas (spiritual deities) and Bhuta Kola, the animistic ritual central to the region’s culture. The prequel serves as an origin story, revealing how spiritual guardians emerged and how ancient battles over land and identity shaped the community.

Massive custom-built indoor set

Filming of the Kantara prequel began in November 2023 in the Kundapura coastal region of Karnataka and required the construction of a massive custom-built indoor set. In June 2024, speaking to the media, Rishab Shetty said, “It took me a year to write the script after in-depth research on the history and culture of coastal Karnataka. To suit my character, I gained 10 kilograms at one point and later lost 8 kilograms.” The production team has since wrapped filming after more than 250 days of work. Lead actor Rishab Shetty trained in horse riding, Kalaripayattu, and sword fighting for the role.

Most of the film was shot on location in challenging terrain, with about 80 percent of the scenes filmed in the forests of coastal Karnataka. The crew faced frequent delays and several accidents — including a bush crash, a fire, a near-drowning, and a boat capsize — though none caused serious injuries. A highlight of the feature is a grand war sequence choreographed by national and international experts. The sequence involves over 500 trained fighters and a total cast of nearly 3,000. Shot on a 25-acre set in the mountains of Karnataka, it took nearly 50 days to complete.