Movie Name : Kantara Chapter 1
Release Date : Oct 2, 2025
Cast : Rishab shetty, Rukmini Vasanth, Jayaram, Gulshan Devaiah, Pramod Shetty etc.
Director : Rishab Shetty
Music Director : B. Ajaneesh Loknath
Andhrawatch.com Rating : 2.75/5
Story:
Kantara picks up right where it left off, as Rishab Shetty begins Chapter 1 with the question asked by a son when his father mysteriously vanishes in the climax. The story then takes us centuries back, into an era of kings and their kingdoms.
Nestled beside the Bangra Kingdom lies a dense forest known as Kantara, due to its fame for aromatic spices and herbs. Legends speak of a Brahmarakshasa (a demonic guardian) that protects this land. To uncover whether the tale is truth or myth, the Bangra King ventures into the forest but meets a tragic end. The young prince, who witnesses this, ascends the throne and constantly warns his children, “Never go near Kantara; there’s a Brahmarakshasa there.”
As the king grows old, he crowns his son, Kulasekhara (played by Gulshan Devaiah), as the new ruler. However, Kulasekhara, a fool who ignores his father’s warnings, steps into Kantara. This leads to a series of disastrous events that affect the land.
Kantara is protected by Berme (Rishab Shetty), a man of great strength, and more importantly, divine power. He becomes the region’s guardian, safeguarding the people from harm. Meanwhile, the Bangra royal family is keen on trading the region’s crops, and with the help of the young queen, Kanakavati (Rukmini Vasanth), the plan moves forward. But the Bangra king, angered by the rise of Kantara’s people, seeks revenge, and the conflict escalates.
The story unravels the mystery: Is the Brahmarakshasa truly guarding Kantara? What power lies beneath the surface of this sacred land? And when greed and corruption arise, how does divine strength stand to protect the people? These questions form the heart of Kantara Chapter 1.
Review:
Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1 continues to captivate audiences and demonstrate his stunning prowess as both a filmmaker and lead actor. While the film retains the essence of the original Kantara, it elevates the vision with an engaging narrative based on tradition and culture.
The film is alive with wonderful visuals, action set-pieces and emotional weight. Rishab Shetty has a commanding screen presence and displays a wide range of emotions and makes his character a compelling, memorable character. Jayaram fits into the role of a king very easily, and especially tags when the film gets serious. Gulshan Devaiah perfectly embodies the villain, while Rukmini Vasanth is charming as Kanakavathi and is noticeable because of her poise. The side-actors also add richness to the narrative with credible performances.
Rishab Shetty has made Kantara: Chapter 1 a commercial entertainer with high-octane action, raw emotion, and even portions of comedy. The characters in the film and their pasts are nicely developed, adding to the narrative overall and making it all the more interesting for the audience.
Rishab Shetty crafted Kantara: Chapter 1 to a commercial film with action, emotion, and even portions of comedy. The backstories of the characters are slightly present adding depth to the film’s narrative and enhancing it further for audience enjoyment.
The latter half of the film is noteworthy with its bold action scenes, complemented to perfection with emotionally charged scenes. Rishab’s restrained act in crucial scenes is certainly the best thing about the film, pulling the audience into the story further.
Arvind S Kashyap, the cinematographer, is technically impressive, managing to frame important scenes and scenes of activity in some high intensity. Suresh does an amicable edit of the film, meanwhile the music and background score by B. Ajaneesh Loknath fits well with the movie. The songs have been well-scripted, and picturization also assist in elevating the emotional content of the film.
As the director and writer, Rishab Shetty has been true to the story, weaving good characters and interesting drama flawlessly. Producer Vijay Kiragandur takes care of the production values for the film being high, which helps in the amazing visuals and scale of the film overall.
Overall Kantara: Chapter 1 is an exciting mix of hard-hitting action, drama, and outstanding performances, headed by Rishab Shetty both as a director and performer. Though the film shines most in its visual narrative and portrayal of characters, some sequences are short of its epic nature. Nevertheless, it’s an intriguing watch for high-stakes drama and cultural tale fans.