PremiumKantara Chapter 1 first look - Five highlights of the new smashing teaser dropped by Rishab Shetty and co.
Is Rishab Shetty's Kantara Chapter 1 an origin story? And why does the Kadamba Dynasty play a huge role in the new narrative?
Last Updated: 02.10 PM, Nov 27, 2023
Rishab Shetty's Kantara cast quite a spell on moviegoers across the world with its entrancing presentation of folklore and mythology. Flanked by his own superb central performance as the very effervescent Shiva, Rishab explored a lesser-known culture from coastal Karnataka and carried it around the world with great pride and glee, proving that the more local a story gets, the more universal it tends to be.
But he and the whole team of Kantara aren't done yet because evidently there's lots more to this unique world. Right on cue comes 'Kantara Chapter 1', the second instalment of the film, which will serve as a prequel and take on the many plot points that were left unexplored in the 2022 film. The first teaser of 'Chapter 1' was released on Monday, November 27th, and offered a glimpse of the fascinating world that is in store for us - from Rishab Shetty's look, Ajaneesh S Loknath's score to the overall look and feel of the film and what it represents, there's so much layered within that short video glimpse. So, to put things in perspective, let's discuss the five highlights of 'Kantara Chapter 1' first-look teaser:
An Origin Story
The most prominent feature of the teaser is that it presents an origin story of a kind. Rishab Shetty's look, while derived from Hindu mythology, boasts certain larger-than-life, 'superhero' like physical traits which include the trident or the Trishula, the long mane and hair, the oozing rage and power that are represented by the brute physicality of the character. More importantly, Vijay Kiragandur of Hombale Films divulged not long ago that the local deity featured in the opening portions of Kantara will be explored in the new instalment. The same is more or less confirmed by the 'A legend was born' phrase we get to see in the latest first-look teaser of 'Kantara Chapter 1'.
A Journey Back in Time
Another highlight is the major leap in the timeline as the 'Kantara Chapter 1' teaser confirms that the new film will transport us back to the glorious time when the Kadamba Dynasty. The Kadambas ruled over North Karnataka and a major stretch of the present-day Uttara Kannada region during the 4th, 5th and 6th centuries and their influence is still strongly felt in the aforementioned regions. While the Dynasty's significance to the narrative 'Kantara Chapter 1' remains unclear, it would be truly fascinating to see how Rishab Shetty and his co-writers bridge the time and handhold us in the journey between past and present.
The 2022 film Kantara was set predominantly in the 1990s and the new teaser suggests that that period, too, will be of considerable importance to the upcoming instalment(s).
More Opulent, Immersive
The scale at which Rishab Shetty and co. have envisioned Kantara 2 or 'Kantara Chapter 1' is undeniably larger and more magnificent compared to the 2022 film. Of course, the weight of expectations from the new instalment is likely to have encouraged the makers to think bigger and grander. The teaser, though, does promise that Rishab has ensured that the grandeur and the opulence of his upcoming film(s) perfectly complement the solid narrative which, by all means, must be given top priority.
Kantara, a rather unassuming and approachable film, was widely appreciated for its writing, the performances and the nativity it brought to life, and not for the scale at which it was executed. The audiences will seek the same from the upcoming instalments as well.
A Piece of a Bigger Puzzle
Of course, the suffixing of 'Chapter 1' to the new title only confirms that Rishab Shetty and Hombale Films are set on expanding the universe to create a 'Kantara' franchise of its own. 'Kantara Chapter 1' will most likely initiate us, the audiences, into the alluring world that the team has put together and considering that the sprawling narrative will toggle between the past and the present, one can easily expect more iterations or instalments to emerge over time.
Kantara, a Global Product
The incredible success of Kantara lent a 'global' status to Rishab Shetty's film which was lapped up by audiences from across multiple regions and sensibilities. 'More local is more universal' has evidently been Rishab's mantra all along and fittingly, 'Kantara Chapter 1' will be released not just in Indian languages like Kannada (original), Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil but also English and Bangla.