Kantara Chapter 1 release: Paid premieres on October 1 to kick off Rishab Shetty-led prequel?

In 2022, when actor-filmmaker Rishab Shetty released his film Kantara, it had paid premieres in select cities across Karnataka, as well as in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi and Kasaragod, in its Kannada original version with English subtitles. Back then, Rishab, the production house and the distributors thought of it as a rooted, mannina kathe and did not – not even in their wildest dreams – anticipate the phenomenal reception the film would get. It was only when the reality hit them that they then quickly got the film dubbed in other languages, an exercise that was initially planned only for the OTT outing.

Massive release plans for Kantara Chapter 1

This time, though, as the team counts down to the release of the second film, which is a prequel – Kantara Chapter 1, they are far more prepared and have audiences across the country experience the world and story that Rishab Shetty has created. Officially, Kantara Chapter 1 is set to be in theatres on October 2, but the buzz is that the team is preparing to have paid premieres across the country the previous evening. The film is, reportedly, being released in Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Bengali in India. 

Also read: All eyes on Rishab Shetty’s Kantara Chapter 1, as War 2 and Coolie flounder at the box office 

According to reports, Kantara Chapter will have a whopping 2500+ paid premieres on the evening of October 1, details of which are expected to be made official in the coming days. Netizens, meanwhile, are waiting with bated breath for news on the trailer of the film. For the 2022 Kantara, Rishab had released the trailer with 24 days to go for the film’s September 30 theatrical outing, on the evening of September 5.

Could the makers be waiting for the last minute possible to drop the trailer, build more hype around the film and have audiences in theatres shortly after? Rishab has been tightlipped about the story of the film, although there were rumours that he is presenting a Panjurli origin tale. The film is expected to explore the ancient roots of the bhootakola ritual and the lore surrounding divine land guardianship.

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. 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.

Q. Which OTT will Kantara Chapter 1 be on after theatrical release?

A. Amazon Prime Video acquired the digital streaming rights of Kantara Chapter 1 even before the completion of filming.