Rishab Shetty's highly anticipated prequel, Kantara: Chapter 1, to the 2022 blockbuster Kantara, is slated for release on October 2, 2025. The film delves deeper into the origins of the mythological tradition and ancestral conflict introduced in the first film. Set in pre-colonial coastal Karnataka, the film explores the ancient roots of the Bhuta Kola ritual and the mythological lore and history explored in the first film.
Rishab Shetty, who wrote, directed, and stars in the film, recently opened up about the extensive research and collaborative effort that went into making Kantara: Chapter 1. According to reports, the scripting took around eight months, with Shetty collaborating with Shaneel Gautham and Anirudh Mahesh. Shetty also involved his entire village in the filmmaking process.
Shetty emphasized that Kantara: Chapter 1 was a joint effort. He expressed his gratitude to everyone involved, including the crew, artists, technicians, production house Hombale Films, co-writers, his wife (a costume designer), professors, cultural dancers and their families. He also shared that the film involved a lot of research since it goes back to the 4th-5th century, a time period for which there weren't many references.
According to Rishab, the basic theme of the film remains the same as the previous part, focusing on the conflict between the tribals of Kantara forest and a tyrannical king. Shetty plays the role of a Naga Sadhu with superhuman powers. To prepare for the role, Shetty learned horse riding, Kalaripayattu, and sword fighting. The film features a grand war sequence choreographed by national and international experts, including over 500 skilled fighters and a total cast of nearly 3,000.. This sequence took nearly 50 days to film and was shot on a 25-acre set in Karnataka's mountains.
Rukmini Vasanth plays a primary role alongside Rishab Shetty. Other cast members include Jayaram and Gulshan Devaiah.
Rishab also revealed that he followed strict rituals while shooting divine sequences in the film, such as avoiding footwear and non-vegetarian food as a mark of respect for his faith. However, he clarified that he never imposed these practices on anyone else, respecting personal beliefs.
Kantara: Chapter 1 is produced by Vijay Kiragandur and Chaluve Gowda under Hombale Films. B. Ajaneesh Loknath, who composed the music for Kantara, is also composing the soundtrack and background score for the prequel.
The film is scheduled to be released on October 2, 2025, in Kannada, with dubbed versions in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Malayalam, and English. It will also be released in IMAX, 4DX, and D-Box formats. Amazon Prime Video has acquired the streaming rights and will stream the film from October 30, four weeks after its theatrical debut.
