What ‘Kantara Chapter 1’ Gets Right — And What It Doesn’t

October 29, 2025 | Mumbai: ‘Kantara Chapter 1’ has hit the screens with a bang. It is the much-awaited prequel to the 2022 blockbuster ‘Kantara’. Director and actor Rishab Shetty returns to tell the original story. The movie is a huge success. It has already earned over ₹800 crore worldwide. This shows how much the audience loved the mix of culture and grand cinema. But critics and viewers are split on the film. Some parts are brilliant. Other parts are weak. This movie is a grand spectacle, but it sometimes loses the simple soul of the first film.

What Kantara Chapter 1 Gets Right: Spectacle, Belief, and Performance

‘Kantara Chapter 1’ is set in the past, during the Kadamba dynasty. It shows the origin of the Daiva Kola (Bhoota Kola) tradition. It tells the story of Berme (Rishab Shetty), a tribal man who fights for his people against a ruthless king.

• Breathtaking Visuals: The film is visually stunning. It is shot mostly at night in the deep forest. The cinematography is top-class. The jungle looks real and alive. The production design—the sets, costumes, and weapons—is very rich and detailed. This creates a world you can easily get lost in.

• The Power of Folklore: The movie dives deeper into the mythology and spiritual beliefs of the Tulunadu people. It focuses on the gods and spirits like Guliga and Panjurli. This strong cultural root is the film’s biggest strength. It is a story about the land itself and the gods who guard it.
• Rishab Shetty’s Transformation: Rishab Shetty’s acting is phenomenal. In the intense climax, his transformation from a simple man to one possessed by the divine is captivating and powerful. It is an experience that needs to be seen on the big screen.

• Action and Scale: The action sequences are massive. They are a big upgrade from the first film. The chariot fight scene is especially jaw-dropping. The movie is a large-scale epic, giving viewers a big-screen experience.

Where Kantara Chapter 1 Stumbles: Pacing and Narrative

While the film is grand, it has problems with its storytelling and pace. It struggles to hold the audience in the first half.

• Uneven Pacing and Length: The film is long, nearly 3 hours. The first half moves slowly and feels scattered. Rishab Shetty tries to fit too many details about history, politics, and rituals at once. This makes the beginning confusing and tests the audience’s patience.
• Forced Comedy: Many reviewers and viewers have pointed out that the comic scenes are out of place and feel forced. These unnecessary jokes often break the serious, intense mood of the film. They do not add anything to the main story and make the film drag.
• Lost Nuance: The first ‘Kantara’ was simple but had a strong emotional core. It spoke about the conflict between man and nature. Chapter 1 is bigger, but it sometimes loses that small, emotional connection. It focuses more on action and spectacle than on the simple, deep spiritual journey. The soul of the film feels a little less strong than its predecessor.

• Dubbing Issues: For the pan-India audience, the Hindi dubbing was a letdown. Poor dialogue translation and unnatural voices affected the viewing experience in many parts of North India, which is a big miss for such a huge film.

The Final Verdict: Experience Over Explanation

‘Kantara Chapter 1’ is not a simple movie. It is an experience. It may be a bit messy and uneven in the beginning. However, its visual power, high-quality production, and the sheer force of its climax make it a must-watch in theatres.

Rishab Shetty took a huge risk by making the prequel grander and more ambitious. While the narrative could have been tighter, the film’s attempt to bring rich Indian folklore to a global audience is a huge victory for Kannada cinema. It shows that rooted, cultural stories can still become massive blockbusters.