Kantara Chapter 1 makers urge audiences not to trivialize Daivaradhane

Kantara Chapter 1 team asks audiences to refrain from any act that involves imitating, mimicking, or trivializing the Daiva personas and to uphold the sacred nature of Dhaivaradhane

Rishab Shetty in a still from the film

Three years ago, after Kantara became a runaway hit, its actor-director Rishab Shetty had to repeatedly request audiences to not mimick the instances of daiva possession or daivaradhane as depicted in the film. Rishab said that it was tantamount to insult of a symbol of faith. Cut to now, and following the release of his prequel, Kantara Chapter 1, it’s a repeat all over again. Several audience members have been claiming to have had daiva encounters while watching the film. Videos of people at movie halls and engaging in activities mimicking daiva possession and daivaradhane have gone viral on social media.

'Kantara is meant to respectfully portray glory of Daivas'

The makers of the film have now taken to social media urging audiences not to indulge in such activities. In a long post on social media, they wrote, “Our films, Kantara and Kantara Chapter-1, were created with the purpose of respectfully portraying this devotion and celebrating the glory of the Daivas.”

Also read: Kantara Chapter 1 movie review: Rishab Shetty goes all out in grand but bland sequel

The note added, “Certain individuals have been imitating the Daiva characters from the movie and engaging in inappropriate behaviour in public spaces and gatherings. Dhaivaradhane or Daiva worship, as featured in our film, is rooted in deep spiritual tradition and is not intended for performance or casual mimicry. Such acts amount to trivializing our belief system and deeply hurt the religious sentiments and faith of the Tulu community.”

The makers then appealed to the public and audiences to refrain from any act that involves imitating, mimicking, or trivializing the Daiva personas. Meanwhile, according to early estimates, Kantara Chapter 1 is inching close to the lifetime collection of the 2022 Kantara. As of the last update on October 7, the film is said to have made Rs 285 cr net.

FAQs

Q. Are Kantara and Kantara: Chapter 1 the same?

A. No, they are separate films in the same franchise, both written and directed by Rishab Shetty. Kantara released in 2022, while Kantara: Chapter 1 is expected to hit theatres on October 2, 2025. Chapter 1 is the prequel of the original film and is supposedly an exploration of the origin of the Panjurli Daiva, among others.

Q. What is the run-time of Kantara Chapter 1?

A. Kantara Chapter is 2 hours and 47 minutes in total run-time.

Q. Where can one watch Kantara Chapter 1?

A. Kantara Chapter 1 is currently in theatres across the world from October 2, 2025. Subsequently, it will head to Amazon Prime Video on October 30, 2025, in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam.

Q. Whose avatar is Panjurli Daiva?

A. Panjurli Daiva is considered an avatar of Lord Vishnu in his Varaha incarnation. Panjurli, according to folklore, was a wild boar, who was slain by Lord Shiva and then revived to become a divine protector.

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