Kantara Review: Rishab Shetty's film is an immersive spectacle on Karnataka's folklore and performative culture

Director: Rishab Shetty

Cast: Rishab Shetty, Kishore Kumar, Achuth Kumar, Sapthami Gowda, Pramod Shetty, Vinay Biddappa

Released: In Theatres near you

Rating: 4.5 stars

A Kannada film tore through the clamour for Mani Ratnam's Magnum opus ‘Ponniyin Selvan I’ and ‘Vikram Vedha's Hindi remake recently to become the highest-rated Indian film of IMDb and surpassed the resounding success ‘KGF’ had achieved. Yes, I am talking about the much-hyped film directed by Rishab Shetty, 'Kantara'.

The film deserves all the hype it is getting! Shetty's ‘Kantara’ is a film that has allowed a new wave to usher in the Kannada cinema industry and brought greater acclaim for Sandalwood.

‘Kantara’, written and directed by the man of the hour himself, starts off with the legend of a king's deal with Panjurli Daiva/ Bhootha, (an animist form of spirit worshipped by locals of the coastal region and some part of western ghats in Karnataka) to trade his forest land with local tribes in exchange for the peace and happiness. The king though is warned of Guliga daiva's wrath if the king or his lineage goes back on their word.

This sets the ball rolling for the two-and-half-hour mordant journey into the universe of the mystical forest [quite literally].

The stirring Kambala buffalo race, the introduction of the divine spirit, and the Bootha Kola performance shown within the first few minutes of the film make it clear that the entire film will keep the audience on the edge.

Shiva or Kadubettu Shiva is a rouge Kambala champion who is not just at loggerheads with an uptight Deputy Forest Range Officer Murali (Kishore) but his own demons that appear as nightmares. However, he is fiercely protective of his culture and rituals.

He almost falls into the same brand of male leads who glorify toxic masculinity but his emotional growth in the film changes the course.

The story gets gripping because of two conflicts--one of the indigenous people stopping from their lands getting snatched away from them and attempting to preserve their culture.

While the other battle erupts when the King's successors, greedy for money, demand the land back by hook or by crook like Devendra Suttooru (Achyuth Kumar) does in the film by putting up a facade of being a benevolent land owner.

Shetty in the first half amuses the audience with his comic timing but it is his performance in the climax that will leave you in splits. The transition that he brings into his mannerisms will surely stupify the viewers.

Shetty, who also appears as his father in the film, does pull off an exemplary performance, undoubtedly, but the supporting cast of Manasi Srishar, Sapthami Gowda who plays his love interest Leela, and Achyuth Kumar elevate his performance.

While the first half gets your adrenaline rushing, the second half begins on a sombre note which is off-putting but Shetty comes back with an equally powerful punch with the pre-climax shots.

The rustic, raw portrayals of the film induce goosebumps, especially during the Bhootha Kola performance.

‘Kantara’ does not delve much into the politics of land rights and it is poorly tied which is a bummer. The story could have also focused a little more on the conflict that Leela faces as a member of the afflicted community and personnel of the forest department which could explain the dilemma of other villagers who are part of the government agency. The ending is poetic, and cyclical albeit predictable but it does leave a lasting impact.

However, the director ensures the cinematic experience through visuals make up for the lacklustre subplot which could have added more nuance to the film.

Arvind Kashyap's cinematography enriches each and every frame of the film. The colour grading and lighting dictate the mood in the scenes. For instance, during the first interaction of the Daiva and the King's successor demanding the land back, the colour palette of the scene changes from dim, pleasant shades of reds, and oranges to sharper hues indicating the anger of the demigod.

Ajaneesh B Loknath's scintillating music and background score is the perfect blend of traditional sounds and contemporary music. Loknath's background score heightens tension enough to induce chills.

‘Kantara’, backed by ‘KGF’ makers Homable films, is an immersive spectacle that is worth a watch.

Disclaimer: The film was initially released in Kannada on September 30 and its Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu dubbed versions were released on October 14, and October 15.