The Big Picture
- Kantara: Chapter 1 delves into the origins of the “Bhoota Kola” mythology and takes audiences back in time to witness a shamanistic dance performance.
- Director-actor Rishab Shetty showcases his storytelling prowess and visual aesthetic in the new teaser, hinting at a blood-soaked legend with glowing eyes and a trident.
- The prequel is set during the reign of the Kadambas dynasty and explores the Tulu mythology of coastal Karnataka, diving into the backstory of the original film.
The first look at Kantara: Chapter 1 is out, and our jaws have dropped. The prequel to last year’s smashing box office hit Kantara, the upcoming period action thriller will deepen the “Bhoota Kola” mythology and will take fans back in time to see the origins of the shamanistic dance performance. Director-actor Rishab Shetty has established his storytelling prowess with the original movie and the new teaser flaunts his visual aesthetic.
The new teaser opens in the familiar forest as Shiva chases the source of the voice he’s hearing, which reminds him of the light he’s bestowed with which “illuminates the past and the future.” We then go straight to a massive cave where we get the first blood-soaked look at “the legend,” whose red glowing eyes and trident in hand certainly strike fear. While the imagery reminds us of deities like lord Shiva and Parshuram (a deity that also inspired Ram’s climatic look in RRR) the details about the legend that Shetty is playing are kept tightly under wraps.
What Is ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ About?
With last year’s Kantara, Shetty brought forward a story that’s deeply rooted in the Tulu mythology of present-day coastal Karnataka. The feature sees him as a reluctant “Bhoota Kola” (a ritualistic dance) performer, who clashes with a forest officer, who is adamant about taking over their forest, in a south Indian village where spirituality and folklore rule the lands. The upcoming prequel will now take us to the roots of this mythology as the trailer reveals it is set during the reign of the Kadambas dynasty that ruled the lands from 345–540 CE.
Along with serving the directorial duties, Shetty has also penned the script. He’s a prolific Kannada language filmmaker having titles like Hero, Pedro, Sarkari Hi. Pra. Shaale, Kasaragodu, Koduge: Ramanna Rai and more. Nonetheless, Kantara put him on a global map as fan appreciation poured in from around the globe after its streaming release. In Indian cinema, some of the best stories come from the Kannada industry and Kantara is on the top of the list after the film’s commercial success made it the second highest-grossing Kannada film of all time as well as 2022’s fourth highest-grossing film in India. The movie also casts Sapthami Gowda, Kishore, Achyuth Kumar, Pramod Shetty, Prakash Thuminad, Manasi Sudhir, Naveen D Padil, and many more.
Kantara: Chapter 1 is yet to announce a release date or window. You can check out Kantara on Netflix. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates and check out the new teaser below.
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