Star Cast: Rishab Shetty, Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah
Director: Rishab Shetty
Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 Movie Review Synopsis:
KANTARA: A LEGEND – CHAPTER 1 is the story of devotion and greed. The story is set more than a thousand years before the events of KANTARA [2002]. Berme (Rishab Shetty) lives in a jungle among villagers who worship the daiva. The kingdom of Bangra is located nearby and it is ruled by Rajashekhar (Jayaram). As a child, he had witnessed his father being killed when he tried to usurp the land of the jungle residents and also the power of the daiva. Hence, he had a strict policy that his army shouldn’t venture into the forest and harass its residents. But when his son Kulshekhar (Gulshan Devaiah) turns king, he makes several changes in the policy. He goes for a hunt in the forest. His army senses the presence of a divine being and they run away. Berme is angry with the king for his actions. He infiltrates the kingdom and causes chaos. This is when he comes across Kanakavathi (Rukmini Vasanth), the sister of Kulshekhar. Kanakavathi and Berme develop a soft spot for each other. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 Movie Story Review:
Rishab Shetty’s story (co-written by Anirudh Mahesh, Shanil Gowtham) is detailed and very different from the rest of the Pan-India films. Rishab Shetty’s screenplay (co-written by Anirudh Mahesh, Shanil Gowtham) is very captivating and the religious element is nicely infused into the narrative. Rishab Shetty’s dialogues are sharp and well-worded. However, the size of subtitles in the Kannada dialogues is tiny and makes it tedious to read. Also, the makers should have provided subtitles in Hindi as well as English. Moreover, the background score and songs overpower the dialogues in some scenes.
Rishab Shetty’s direction is superb. This time, the scale is much larger than the first part. Often, filmmakers fail to do justice to the script as the grandeur takes precedence. Rishab proves to be an exception. The focus is clearly on the story while he cleverly uses the budget to enhance his storytelling. He also adds interesting, humorous scenes to entice the audience; the chariot scene in the first half is striking. But he reserves the best for the second half. The twist comes as a bolt from the blue and it’ll be next to impossible for anyone to guess how the pre-climax would unfold. As for the climax, it is a masterstroke. Rishab had set a benchmark with the finale of KANTARA. Believe it or not, he elevates the impact this time in the climax by many notches. It is sure to create a frenzy in cinemas.
On the flipside, the trailer doesn’t do justice to the greatness of the film and it resulted in low buzz. The first half is just fine and should have been trimmed for a better impact. The songs don’t work. Lastly, though the makers try their best in simplifying the proceedings, the film still gets a bit confusing in some scenes.
Kantara: A Legend Chapter – 1 | Official Hindi Trailer | Rishab Shetty | Ajaneesh | Hombale Films
Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 Movie Review Performances:
Rishab Shetty delivers an electrifying performance. When he appears on screen, one can’t notice anything else; such is his presence. Yet again, he plays a challenging role with ease. Rukmini Vasanth looks lovely and performance-wise, she springs a surprise. Gulshan Devaiah is superb in the role of a royal who is evil yet a buffoon. He gets that aspect right perfectly. Jayaram, as always, leaves a tremendous mark. Prakash Thuminad (Chenna) raises a lot of laughs. Pramod Shetty and others do well.
Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 movie music and other technical aspects:
B Ajaneesh Loknath’s music is well incorporated in the film and is in sync with the film’s theme. But it is not of the chartbuster variety. ‘Brahmakalasha’ and ‘Rebel’ are the two songs that stand out. B Ajaneesh Loknath’s background score is much better.
Arvind S Kashyap’s cinematography is spectacular. Banglan’s production design is quite praiseworthy. It is appropriate for the era depicted and at the same time, the sets don’t look like a clone of other period movies. Pragathi Shetty’s costumes are rustic and royal, as per the requirement. Arjun Raj, Todor Lazarov (Juji), Ram-Laxman, Mahesh mathew, Mithun Singh Rajput’s action adds to the impact. Suresh’s editing could have been slicker, especially in the first half.
Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, KANTARA: A LEGEND – CHAPTER 1 is not just a prequel; it’s an experience that deepens the world Rishab Shetty created while taking it to far greater cinematic heights. With a story that blends devotion, power, and destiny, the film grips you with its spine-chilling pre-climax and thunderous climax, leaving behind an unforgettable impact. At the box office, it has the potential to pick up through strong word of mouth and emerge as one of the biggest hits of the year.