A few months ago, Rishab Shetty and Hombale Films released the film “Kantara Chapter 1: A Legend”, the prequel to the fan-favorite “Kantara”. This Kannada film ravaged India and the world, garnering over $100 million in the worldwide box office.
The film centers around the local Bhuta Kola ritual, a Hindu folk dance performance in which the deities possess the performer, allowing Gods to manifest themselves in human form. The idea is that there is a boar spirit named Panjurli, who is known to be a protector of the farmers and villagers. When there is evil in the world that is unacceptable, though, Panjurli’s companion spirit, the fierce Guliga, descends upon Earth. To restore order, the Guliga spirit will kill anyone necessary.
SPOILERS AHEAD
In the first film, “Kantara”, actor and director Rishab Shetty explained the story of a small village called Kaadubettu and its clash with the village’s landlord Devendra Suttoru. The landlord’s actions of inhumanity against the village and its people lead him to overstep on Panjurli’s grace, leading to his untimely death at the hands of the Guliga spirit that possesses the main character Kaadubettu Shiva.
“Kantara Chapter 1” goes back in time, tracing the origins of the Guliga spirit to the Kadamba dynasty. The king of this dynasty steps into Eeshwara’s, or Shiva’s, “hudota,” or a flower garden, in Kannada. This movie tackles older themes of colonization and control, depicting the battle between the kings and queens of the dynasty against the village people.
There’s a boy that’s born supposedly of no father or mother named Berme, who is our main character. His character arc is done perfectly in this film, as he discovers who he is as a shepherd and guardian for the community. These qualities combined with the fact that he is found at the bottom of a pit grant him the power of the Guliga. In fact, he’s described as God’s own son throughout the movie.
The main antagonist in the film, surprisingly, is a woman that is meant to be Berme’s love interest named Kanakavathi. She turns on him and the family, hinted at during the scene of her birth as she is awoken only by the touch of evil villagers. Being a woman, she cannot be touched by the Guliga spirit, which she taunts it for. Therefore, Guliga’s sister spirit, Chavundi, possesses Berme and leads to the death of the antagonist.
Outside of the plot, “Kantara Chapter 1” is a simply beautiful and pivotal film. For one thing, it brings Kannada cinema to the front stage, highlighting strong colonial themes and tying them with religious connections that struck audiences around the world. On top of that, the prequel incorporates actors from across India, including Gulshan Devaiah, who plays one of the earlier antagonists in the film. Jayaram, popular Malayalam actor, also makes an appearance as King Rajasekahara, one of the main evil figures and father of Kanakavathi.
More than bringing Kannada film to the spotlight, though, the film highlighted the colonial story and tensions with kings and queens, much like old Hindu stories would. This made me and an entire community of people feel represented, hearing true culture brought to the world. It does so without compromising any quality or uniqueness, making “Kantara Chapter 1” a truly legendary film.
The film’s music soundtrack was once again done by B. Ajaneesh Loknath, mixing upbeat and exciting themes with religious tunes to fit the film perfectly.
Both the original and the prequel’s success have called for the creation of a sequel: “Kantara Chapter 2”, which I eagerly look forward to.