Rishab Shetty's Kantara: Chapter 1 is hard to follow, but impossible to look away from; here's why
What Kantara: Chapter 1 lacks on the story front, it more than makes up for as a big screen experience. Here's how the prequel to Rishab Shetty's Kantara fares.
At first glance, Kantara: Chapter 1 can feel overwhelming. So much unfolds so quickly that piecing the story together is nearly impossible until the second half. The sensory overload leaves you scrambling to connect the dots. But does that mean you tune out or walk away? Absolutely not.
What Rishab Shetty achieves here as both writer and director is nothing short of striking. The film once again explores the primal relationship between man and nature. At its core lies a feud carried forward by the tyrant Kulashekara (Gulshan Devaiah) and his scheming father Rajashekara (Jayaram), who have long harbored resentment toward Kantara ever since Rajashekara’s father was slain by the spirit that guards the forests of pre-colonial Karnataka.
From there, the plot unfolds less as a string of story beats to be recalled and more as an experience to be absorbed.
This is a film built on elevation sequences that pull you deeper into its world. The immersion is gradual, thanks to the meticulous production design by Vinesh Banglan and Dharani Gangeputra. They conjure up an era so convincing that it feels less like watching cinema and more like stepping into legend.
Find the biggest screen you can with a solid sound system, because the pre-interval sequence is bound to leave you with goosebumps. And then comes the second half, finally introducing twists and turns that match the visuals. Rishab’s true victory lies in the fact that Kantara: Chapter 1 can be experienced entirely on its own, welcoming a new audience even without prior knowledge of the original. The story could get too much though for a normal moviegoer, coupled with excessive focus on the track about how Berne and his gang escape from prison.
The VFX is top notch, breathing life into every frame. B. Ajaneesh Loknath’s background score becomes the beating heart of the film.
And then, there are the performances. Rishab Shetty as Berme disappears completely into the role, making one feel the character has been lived. Rukmini Vasanth as Kanakavathi is an inspired casting choice, while Gulshan Devaiah delivers a surprising turn that feels perfectly at home in this world.
Overall, Kantara: Chapter 1 is the kind of film made for the big screen, with thunderous sound and visuals. The emotional payoff lingers too. It may challenge you at first… stick with it and you’ll witness a spectacle that is deeply rooted in culture.
