Kantara: Chapter 1 (2025) Movie ft. Jayaram, Rukmini, and Rishab

Rishab Shetty returns with Kantara: Chapter 1, a prequel that goes back centuries to show how the sacred Kantara forest and its guardian spirits came to be. The cast includes Rukmini Vasanth, Jayaram, and Gulshan Devaiah, with B. Ajaneesh Loknath handling the music. This one’s set during the Kadamba dynasty in pre-colonial Karnataka, exploring the mythology of Panjurli and Guliga daivas.

The movie mixes folklore with big-scale entertainment. Berme leads the Kantara tribe and ends up clashing with Kulasekhara, the new king of Bangra. You get themes about tribal identity, land ownership, and the bond between humans and nature, all wrapped in stunning visuals.

Story Goes Deep into the Past

King Vijayendra of Bangra finds precious spices and decides he wants the sacred garden inside Kantara forest. Bad move. The guardian spirits Panjurli and Guliga kill him for trying. Fast forward some years, and Berme sneaks into Bangra with his people.

This kicks off a big showdown between the forest folks and the kingdom. The movie has around five really strong sequences that stick with you. But honestly, the story feels patchy in places. Too many characters, conflicts, and storylines get thrown at you quickly.

Acting That Holds Your Attention

Rishab Shetty shines as Berme. The guy completely transforms during the possession scenes. I mean, watching his body move and his face change during those moments was intense. You can see why he won that National Award.

Rukmini Vasanth caught me off guard in a good way. Her character actually matters to the plot instead of just being there for romance. Gulshan Devaiah plays King Kulasekhara as someone who can’t decide if he’s scary or silly. Jayaram does well in the time he gets on screen.

Visuals That Leave You Speechless

The technical work here ranks among the best I’ve seen in Indian movies recently. Every shot looks carefully planned and rich in detail. The animal VFX really impressed me—it looked realistic and powerful. The team clearly put in serious effort.

You can see the work of hundreds of people in these frames. The Bangara kingdom sets look expensive and detailed. The forest feels massive. The battle scenes spread out wide across the screen. The VFX quality matches what you’d expect from big international productions.

How Shetty Handles Direction

Shetty wanted to make this folklore story feel big and important, and he pulled that off visually. The movie moves fast, maybe too fast sometimes. Scenes don’t sit long enough for you to feel their weight fully.

The songs didn’t stick with me much. But the music during possession and ritual scenes works really well, pulling you into that spiritual space. The background score helps in some parts but feels uneven overall.

Parts That Worked for Me

The technical side blew me away completely. The interval block and climax gave me goosebumps with those jaw-dropping visuals. You can tell everyone involved cared about showing folklore authentically. The costumes look handmade, and the rituals feel carefully researched.

Those massive sets and the way they used light and sound created some spectacular moments. Shetty’s transformation during possession scenes stands out as something Kannada cinema can be proud of. The action choreography, especially in those long uncut battle shots, showed real innovation.

Where I Found Issues

For all its visual power, the movie doesn’t hit you emotionally like the original did. Berme’s journey didn’t connect with me the way Shiva’s character did in the first film. The romantic subplot felt unnecessary and slowed things down.

The climax looks impressive but plays out exactly how you’d expect. Shetty played this one safe, sticking to familiar patterns. The jokes in the first half sometimes killed the serious mood. Pacing problems hurt the film, with comedy bits going on too long.

What Others Are Saying

Critics had mixed feelings overall. India Today gave it 4/5 stars, praising how it mixes conflict with spirituality and folklore. Bollywood Hungama also rated it 4/5, calling it an experience that takes the world to bigger heights.

Hindustan Times went with 3/5 stars, pointing out the performances and visuals while noting the story unevenness. I felt the same watching it. The first half tested my patience, but the second half delivered enough spectacular moments to make up for it.

My Take

Kantara: Chapter 1 gives you a visually stunning prequel that builds out the mythology with serious technical skill. It works as an engaging action drama with standout sections worth watching on the big screen. It doesn’t match the raw emotional punch of the first movie, but it creates a world that pulls you in.

The film hits its stride when leaning into folklore and spectacle. It stumbles when trying to juggle too many plot threads at once. If you want a grand experience showcasing regional culture and mythology on a massive scale, this delivers solid entertainment even with its flaws.

Rating: 3.5/5