Kantara Chapter 1: Malayalam actor-filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran presents Kantara Chapter 1 in Kerala, in continuance of his long-standing relationship with the makers.

Last Updated: 10.36 PM, Sep 27, 2025
At one point, it seemed that Rishab Shetty’s much-awaited Kantara prequel, Kantara Chapter 1 would not release in Kerala, after all. Malayalam actor-filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran’s theatrical share demand in the first two weeks of the film’s release went against standard norms for dubbed movies, and the stand-off between his banner and an exhibitors’ federation became a hurdle. However, the impasse was resolved and the film will arrive in theatres in Kerala on October 2, 2025 along with the rest of the world.

Earlier on September 27, the North India advance booking schedule of the film was revealed and now it is the turn of the Malayalam version. Bookings for Kantara Chapter 1 in Kerala will go live on September 28 at 12.30 pm. Overseas bookings have also begun, leaving AP/ Telangana and Tamil Nadu regions. This too should be in place by this weekend.
A couple of days ago, advance bookings for the Kannada version of the film were opened in Karnataka and ticket sales were literally on wildfire, with the first 10,000 going in only 34 minutes of them being available. In the state, tickets are going at a hiked rate, as the film is benefiting from the stay on the government order capping ticket prices at Rs 200 plus taxes. The production house, Hombale Films, is one of the petitioner’s in the case against the government, a move that pro-Kannada groups say does not dwell well for the banner.
In 2022, the original Kantara had done fairly good business in Kerala, registering a net of Rs 13 cr in its 6-week run. The Malayalam dubbed version had hit theatres two weeks after the Kannada original. This time, though, the film has only 4 weeks to get to this figure or more, as the OTT deal is for a 4-week window, after which it will be on Amazon Prime Video in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam.
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 will be in theatres across the world from October 2, 2025. Subsequently, it will head to Amazon Prime Video on October 30, 2025.
*Kantara Chapter 1 and other exciting titles on Amazon Prime Lite will also be available to existing OTTplay Premium subscribers with a top-up plan*
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.