By Ayesha Khan 
Bengaluru, October 2: The streets outside Karnataka’s single screens told the story before the reviews did. Drums, firecrackers, and fans dancing in the rain, Kantara: Chapter 1 isn’t just a film release; it’s a festival. Rishab Shetty has returned with the prequel to his 2022 phenomenon, and this time he’s aiming for mythology on a grander scale.
The film, mounted on a ₹100-crore budget, takes us back to the Kadamba dynasty in 300 CE, tracing the roots of the Daiva Kola ritual. The first Kantara was raw, earthy, and made for just ₹15 crore. This one comes dressed in grandeur CGI, elaborate sets, sprawling action, and Shetty himself in a towering dual role.
And yet, the reactions pouring in through X (formerly Twitter) show a very different kind of split.
Goosebumps For Some, Eye-Rolls For Others
At packed theatres in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, and Mysuru, the roar was unmistakable. “Every frame a painting,” one fan posted, adding a clip of audiences standing to clap at the climax. Ajaneesh Loknath’s music seems to have struck again, with multiple viewers calling it “nonstop goosebumps.” Hashtags like #KantaraChapter1 and #RishabShetty trended across India within hours.
But scroll a little further down, and you hit the backlash. “No story, no thrill. 0/5,” one user wrote flatly. Another called it “all hype, no heart.” The most stinging criticism has been about the polish “overly glossy sets,” “CGI fatigue,” and the feeling that the film had traded away the original’s rustic magic for spectacle.
Rishab Shetty’s Shoulders Carry The Weight
What most viewers agree on is Shetty’s performance. Playing a warrior-mystic, he dominates the screen fierce, physical, and commanding. For fans, it’s a reminder that he isn’t just the director but also the beating heart of this franchise. Rukmini Vasanth has been warmly noticed in some corners, though others dismiss her role as ornamental. The supporting cast, Gulshan Devaiah and Jayaram, has earned steady respect, but Shetty towers over all.
Not everyone’s impressed. A few reviewers called his acting “loud” and “overdone.” That divide feels like the story of the whole film: what one person calls larger-than-life, another sees as exaggerated.
Story Versus Scale
The most heated debate online is about the writing. Supporters say Chapter 1 succeeds in building a proper origin myth, culminating in a finale that rattles the seats. For them, this is the logical next step Kantara expanding into a cinematic universe, giving Indian folklore the kind of scale usually reserved for superhero movies.
Detractors are unmoved. “Useless characters, dragging pace, weak dubbing in Tamil,” read one post. “Gloss without soul,” said another. For these viewers, Kantara’s charm was in its rough edges, and the new film simply tries too hard to impress.
A Climax Under The Microscope
In 2022, nobody saw the Kantara climax coming. It was raw, shocking, unforgettable. Chapter 1 arrives with the weight of expectation, and everyone walked in waiting for goosebumps. Some say it delivers “mind-blowing,” “electrifying,” “theatre erupted.” Others walked out underwhelmed. “Weird,” “flat,” “overhyped,” were some of the sharper dismissals.
That split may decide the film’s fate. A climax can make or break word-of-mouth, and here it seems to be doing both.
Money Matters
Whatever the critics say, the numbers are staggering. Trade trackers expect ₹50–70 crore Day 1 collections in India alone. Bookings had already crossed ₹30 crore worldwide, outpacing big releases like War 2 and OG. If the momentum holds, Shetty could be looking at the ₹1,000-crore club, a milestone that would crown him one of the most bankable filmmakers in the country.
But Indian box office history is full of cautionary tales. Massive openings sometimes fade in the second week if audiences don’t bite. The chatter on X, split between worship and dismissal, suggests that the coming days will decide if Kantara: Chapter 1 is a legend or a letdown.
More Than Just A Movie
One thing is certain: this isn’t just another Friday release. Kantara: Chapter 1 is a test case for how far regional storytelling can stretch on the big canvas. The original proved that a film rooted in the soil of coastal Karnataka could resonate across India and beyond. The prequel now tries to push that into the realm of myth-making.
Some will call it indulgent, others will call it bold. But nobody is walking out indifferent. And in today’s cinema, that might be the bigger victory.
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- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
