Genre: Action/Thriller
Release Date: 2025
Language: Hindi
Plot Summary
The story goes back to the time of the Kadamba dynasty. King Vijayendra of Bangra tries to seize a sacred spice forest. But when he enters the forest, the guardian Daivas Panjurli and Guliga appear and kill him. His son Rajashekara becomes king and forbids people from entering the forest.
In the village of Kantara, a baby appears mysteriously near a sacred well. A tribal woman adopts him and names him Berme. As he grows, Berme learns about the spice trade being misused by the Bangra kingdom. He decides to trade spices for the betterment of his own people.
Berme and the king’s daughter Kanakavathi develop feelings for each other. But her brother Kulashekhara, now the ruler, sees Berme’s influence as a threat and attacks the Kantara tribe. During the battle, Berme becomes possessed by Guliga, kills Kulashekhara, and saves his people.
However, later it is revealed that Kanakavathi secretly plotted against the tribe along with her father, using forbidden rituals to capture the power of the Daivas. A mysterious illness spreads in the village, and Berme discovers the betrayal.
Berme then wages a final war against the kingdom. He gains divine power from a Shivalinga and Guliga and Chavundi possess him. In this form, he kills Kanakavathi and Rajashekara, restoring peace to the land.
In the end, Berme disappears back into the sacred well — the same mysterious circle where Annappa and later Kaadubettu Shiva also vanish in the future. The narrator hints that the story will continue in Kantara: Chapter 2.
Production Details (Short)
- Announced: February 2023 as a prequel.
- Script: Took 8 months to complete.
- Filming: Began in November 2023 in Keradi and Sakleshpur.
- Over 600 carpenters built massive village sets.
- A 50-day war sequence was shot with over 3,000 people in one of the largest action scenes in Kannada cinema.
- Filming finished in July 2025.
Music
Music and background score by B. Ajaneesh Loknath.
Notable songs include:
- Brahmakalasha – Released 28 September 2025
- Rebel Song – Released 1 October 2025 (Hindi version sung by Diljit Dosanjh)
- Full album released on 11 October 2025.
Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1
Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 (also known as Kantara: Chapter 1) is a 2025 Indian Kannada-language epic mythological action film written and directed by Rishab Shetty and produced by Vijay Kiragandur and Chaluve Gowda under Hombale Films. The film stars Rishab Shetty in the lead, alongside Jayaram, Rukmini Vasanth, and Gulshan Devaiah. A prequel to the 2022 film Kantara, the film explores the origins of the Buta Kola tradition and the ancestral conflict introduced in the first part.
Set in pre-colonial coastal Karnataka, the film continues the thematic focus on the relationship between humans, nature, land, and divine spirit guardians (Daivas). It blends regional folklore, spiritual elements, ritual performance, and action drama.
The film was released theatrically on 2 October 2025 and received positive reviews, going on to become the second-highest-grossing Kannada film of all time and the highest-grossing Indian film of 2025.
Plot
During the reign of the Kadamba dynasty, King Vijayendra of Bangra attempts to seize a sacred spice forest located in the Kantara region. When he enters the forest, the guardian Daivas Panjurli and Guliga manifest and kill him. His son Rajashekara becomes king and declares the forest forbidden.
In the village of Kantara, a baby appears mysteriously near a sacred well and is adopted by a tribal woman who names him Berme. As Berme grows, he discovers that traders in the Bangra kingdom are exploiting the spice resources of the forest. Berme begins cultivating and trading spices to support his own people.
Berme develops a romantic connection with Kanakavathi, daughter of Rajashekara. However, her brother Kulashekhara, now ruler, sees Berme as a threat and leads an attack on the Kantara tribe. During the battle, the Daiva Guliga possesses Berme, enabling him to kill Kulashekhara.
Later, a mysterious illness strikes the village, and Berme learns that Kanakavathi and Rajashekara have secretly worked to capture divine power using forbidden rituals. Berme returns to the sacred well and obtains divine strength, becoming possessed by both Guliga and Chavundi. Empowered, he defeats and kills both Kanakavathi and Rajashekara, restoring balance to the land.
Berme disappears into the sacred well. The film ends by revealing that the same well later becomes the site of the disappearances of Annappa and Kaadubettu Shiva, setting up Kantara: Chapter 2.
Production
After the success of Kantara (2022), Rishab Shetty confirmed a prequel in February 2023. The script took approximately eight months to complete. The film focuses on the origins of Panjurli Daiva and Guliga Daiva and is set during the rule of the Kadambas.
Principal photography began in November 2023 with a ceremonial pooja. Major portions were shot in Keradi and Sakleshpur, including a large-scale war sequence involving over 3,000 participants, filmed over 50 days. Rishab Shetty trained in horse riding, sword fighting, and Kalaripayattu for the role. Filming concluded in July 2025.
Music was composed by B. Ajaneesh Loknath, who also scored the original film.
Marketing
The first-look teaser was released on 27 November 2023.
After filming completed, a new poster was released on 7 July 2025.
The official trailer was launched on 22 September 2025, followed by a press meet in Bengaluru. A pre-release event was held in Hyderabad on 28 September 2025, with N. T. Rama Rao Jr. as the chief guest. A planned event in Chennai on 30 September 2025 was cancelled due to the 2025 Karur crowd crush. A success meet took place in New Delhi on 7 October 2025.
Release
Theatrical
The film released worldwide on 2 October 2025 in standard and premium formats, including IMAX, D-Box, ICE, 4DX, Dolby Cinema, and EPIQ.
The film released in:
- Kannada (original)
- Hindi
- Tamil
- Telugu
- Malayalam
Shortened English and Spanish versions released on 31 October 2025.
Distribution
- Karnataka: Hombale Films
- Kerala: Prithviraj Productions
- North India: AA Films
- Telugu regions: Mythri Movie Makers, Geetha Arts and partners
- Tamil Nadu: Think Studios and partners
- Overseas: Phars Films
- North America: Prathyangira Cinemas
Home Media
Amazon Prime Video acquired digital rights for ₹125 crore.
The film began streaming on 31 October 2025 in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.
Sequel
The ending confirms that the story will continue in Kantara: Chapter 2, which will explore the deeper mysteries of the well, the forest, and new daivas. It serves as a sequel to both Kantara (2022) and Kantara: Chapter 1.
Reception
Box Office
The film collected ₹85–90 crore worldwide on its first day and crossed ₹100 crore in two days. It surpassed ₹400 crore in six days and ₹500 crore in eight days, becoming the highest-grossing film in the world during its release week.
By the end of its fourth week, the film had grossed around ₹900 crore worldwide, with ₹268 crore from Karnataka alone.
Critical Response
On Rotten Tomatoes, 82% of 11 critic reviews were positive, with an average score of 6.5/10.
