Rishab Shetty: Kantara Chapter 1’s story was meant to be something else

After the success of 2022’s Kantara, actor-filmmaker Rishab Shetty was clear he wanted to do a prequel, but how far back would he have to go? That was the question on his mind

Rishab Shetty in Kantara Chapter 1

In the run-up to the release of Kantara Chapter 1, Rishab Shetty spoke very little about the film, choosing instead to let the content do most of the talking. By and large, the response to the prequel have been overwhelmingly positive, even though, not everyone’s been as awed about this chapter as the original film. Nevertheless, Kantara Chapter 1 has been consistently making box office records and is currently the second highest grossing film of the year.

Kantara Chapter 1 was meant to be the story of...

The film is a prequel, but not set in the immediate past of the events of the 2022 Kantara. This time, Rishab went nearly 2,000 years back to the 4th century and told a story set during the reign of the Kadamba dynasty. That, however, was not his initial plan. In a recent interaction with ANI, Rishab revealed that when he began writing the next edition in the Kantara franchise, he’d begun by telling the tale of his Kantara character Shiva’s father, the daiva narthaka who mysteriously disappears in a ring of fire in the forest.

While he had briefly touched upon the character in the original film and introduced a backstory there too, connecting it to king’s pursuit of peace, Rishab knew he’d have to go even further back in time for the next film. The question was how far. The actor-filmmaker wanted it to be an origin story, but the more he and his team researched and brainstormed, the more they were convinced that there was a tale to be told from a very early period.

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

In presenting the story that is now Kantara Chapter 1, Rishab has still left the door open for several more stories to emerge from this mysterious forest, including the tale of Shiva’s father and why the well that is at the centre of his current tale disappears by the end of it. The actor-filmmaker has teased that a Chapter 2 will be in the works.

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 hit theatres on October 2, 2025. Chapter 1 is the prequel of the original film and explores the origins of daivaradhane in the Tulunadu region.

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 hit theatres across the world on 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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