Kantara: Chapter 1 is an ambitious standalone tale, set in an older era with a grander scale than its predecessor. Rishab Shetty once more proves his knack for mounting spectacle on par with the likes of SS Rajamouli or Prashanth Neel, yet raises the question: Does scale alone ensure a better film?
It's a package bursting at the seams, swiftly introducing tribes, ugly feuds, and a web of subplots that echo events from the first film. This crowded — literally and figuratively — narrative creates both engaging variety and occasional confusion. Most often, bigger ambitions strain narrative focus. South Indian cinema has been witnessing more of that lately. But, thankfully, Rishab knows where to place all the highs.
Moreover, despite eliminating certain ‘masala’ elements from the first film that were considered regressive by some, Rishab retains some of its less appealing qualities and magnifies them further. To give an example, mostly the comic shenanigans courtesy of the supporting characters. Again, more of the same, to the detriment of the overall pace, most notably pre-interval. One actor reprises the philandering ways of his character from the first film, behaving in the same manner, with the only difference being his name, costume, and job title.
When the humour works, it really works. When it doesn’t, it’s the pits. The sense of humour should appeal to both Kannadigas and Malayalis more than the others. It's one of the reasons why the first Kantara and the recent Su from So did great business in Kerala theatres. But there are also places where we get the nagging sense that some situations are nothing more than filler material — to add a sense of epicness to the canvas, no matter how pointless they seem, or to create an excuse to get to the next, relatively more pivotal moment.
One also suspects Rishab and team were counting on the vastness of the spectacle to dwarf any other shortcomings. One positive factor that works in the film's favour is the casting of the villain(s). As always, Gulshan Devaiah is a delight as the despot — he is to Kantara: Chapter 1 what Joaquin Phoenix was to Gladiator.
Without giving anything away, the film eventually reveals more sinister forces at work behind the scenes than it initially led us to believe. Cue more dark arts, more creatures, more blood...
But here's the strange thing about Kantara: Chapter 1. It features not one but several actors from the original playing different characters, and if you expected the film to readily reveal any generational ties to characters we met in the last adventure, you might come away feeling disappointed. Perhaps these casting choices were made for a reason. Perhaps they are ancestors with the same faces whose blood relations will be made clearer in the next instalment, promised in the closing moments of Kantara: Chapter 1.
Opinions on this are going to vary. Some may come away feeling so awestruck by the massive sets, the extras, the stunning light-and-sound display, the third-act twist and accompanying grand battle, and, of course, Rishab Shetty employing every muscle and fiber in his body to give us more of the chill-inducing transformational act he pulled in the first film, this time as a tribal warrior named Berme. Undeniably spectacular, for Indian cinema standards. A proud moment, indeed, for the Kannada film industry.
Yet for all its grandeur, the film lacks the emotional impact and catharsis that defined the original. Shiva, from the original, was a more complex, flawed protagonist. In comparison, the personal stakes and transformative journey of Berme feel less affecting, proving that spectacle alone doesn't achieve deeper engagement.
Film: Kantara: Chapter 1
Director: Rishab Shetty
Cast: Rishab Shetty, Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah, Jayaram
Rating: 3/5
