Release Date: October 15, 2022
Starring: Rishab Shetty, Kishore Kumar, Achuth Kumar, Sapthami Gowda, Pramod Shetty, and Vinay Biddappa
Director: Rishab Shetty
Producers: Vijay Kiragandur
Music Director: B Ajaneesh Loknath
Cinematography: Arvind S Kashyap
Editor: Pratheek Shetty, K M Prakash
Overview of the Movie 'Kantara':
The story takes place in the Karnataka village of Kundapur in 1847. The lack of tranquilly in his life makes the King of this region unhappy. He keeps looking for it, and when he locates a deity next to a forest, he finds calm. He deals with the locals and trades the deity for the forest lands. Trouble begins when the King's successors want the lands back in the 1990s, many years later. The forest department starts intruding on the woods region, which causes problems for the locals. An easygoing man named Shiva (Rishabh Shetty) assumes responsibilities and rebels against them. The remainder of the movie focuses on the struggle of the people against the landowners and the forest service.
Watch the 'Kantara' Trailer Below:
Analysis of different aspects of the movie 'Kantara':
Due to its diversity and size, this country (Bharat) is a veritable gold mine of tales. When a skilled storyteller decides to present a unique tale that is anchored in the location and its culture while bringing with him the knowledge and technical skill of good filmmaking, Kantara exemplifies what is possible. Kantara is fundamentally the age-old tale of man vs nature, of zamindars versus villagers, and of the desire for wealth and land. But because it effortlessly and fluidly incorporates aspects of the culture and religion of coastal Karnataka into the narrative, it is much more than that.
The story takes place in a village in south Karnataka where the residents were granted that land 150 years prior by a king. When the drama takes place in 1990, a moral forest ranger (played to perfection by Kishore) is attempting to stop hunting and tree-felling on that property, which is now a reserve forest. To further complicate matters, the locals are in no condition to listen to this stranger because they feel that the land was a gift from their Daiva, the forest protector demigod. The village's strongman Shiva (Rishab Shetty) is leading the charge against this, and the village's sahib, a descendent of the king, is with him (Achyuth Kumar).
Technicalities of the movie 'Kantara':
Arvind Kashyap's stunningly exquisite cinematography is the true cherry on top of this lovely cake. A lesson for storytellers can be learned from the way Arvind's lens brought Kantara's folklore to life. All the sequences from the celebrations and sights of the Daiva, as well as some of the scenes of the buffalo racing at the opening of the movie, deserve special praise.
Ajaneesh Loknath's music and background score perfectly match the camera work. It was a risk to integrate western instruments in several moments showing Indian celebrations, but it worked out nicely. The music effortlessly draws you into the story by highlighting the beliefs, traditions, and atmosphere of the setting of Kantara.
Performances in the movie ' Kantara':
Shiva, played by Rishab Shetty, gives a strong performance as this irrepressible force who will do everything it takes to save his village and his people. His expertly orchestrated and smooth action sequences would fit right in with the best Hollywood productions. Muralidhar, the cool-headed forest inspector who is at odds with Shiva, is Kishore's representation on the opposite end of the spectrum. It's a pleasure to see since the actor infuses his scenes with such passion.
The film depicts regional celebrations and rituals in a colourful and spectacular way. The portrayal is strong, the colours are vibrant, and the music is melodious. Every scenario featuring the Daiva is gripping, and some of them are downright frightening. There are numerous occasions when you get thrills listening to Daiva's horrible scream. Without giving anything away, we can only say that the movie's climax - while being a typical masala Indian film offering - raises it to a higher plane.
Final verdict on the movie 'Kantara':
Overall, Kantara is a gritty village drama that is set in the countryside. There are quite riveting scenes in the movie that will hold your attention. Both Rishab Shetty's extraordinary performance and the suspenseful climax are strengths. On the other hand, the movie's plot is predictable and has an extended runtime. If not for this, the movie also boasts excellent aesthetics and merits a trip to the theatre.
Our rating: 9.2/10
