‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ – Rishab Shetty is a force of a nature! (Review)
Kantara 2, as it is described by some, came out today and acv was among the first to see it in the UK…
RISHAB SHETTY has done it again!
‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ is a fitting prequel to the earlier instalment, which simply went by the title ‘Kantara’ – and is the name of a region in the modern Indian state of Karnataka – the capital of which is Bengaluru (Bangalore).
As with the first film, this is steeped in mythology, folklore and early Hindu beliefs and this gives the film a certain license in fight scenes and more importantly, in the way the Daivas (spirits and guardian gods) are portrayed.
At two hours and thirty-five minutes and with a customary Indian interval, this is ‘Indian spectacle cinema’ at its best.
It may not have the song and dance depth of (a Hindi) Bollywood for a period piece – our action is set in 4th century CE and we saw in Shetty’s native tongue, Kannada.
It is essentially about two tribes – well, one lives in the forest (the folks of Kantara) and our lead Shetty also directs and has had a hand in penning this film as well – a real modern day Indian auteur.
Shetty is the slightly oddly named ‘Brema’ whose precise origins are murky – he is adopted by a forest dweller and grows into a strong and mighty specimen.
Just beyond the boundaries of Kantara lies an ‘advanced kingdom’ of Kadamba (we understand) – the story is loosely based on the history of that period in that region. It is a wealthy, if cruel, place presided over by a drunkard called Kulashekara (Gulshan Devaiah) who is also mean and greedy.
His sister is Princess Kanakavathi (Rukmini Vasanth), a luminous and benign presence, while their father has already passed on his duties to Kulashekara.
Early on in the film, the ruling prince pulls back from entering/conquering Kantara – there are stories: that to enter will upset the balance and disturb the gods greatly.
Kulashekara is cautious and things happen that makes him wary but in approaching Kantara there is contact with Brema and his people.
They discover the port and establish that the Kadambas are already trading in forest spices and items from the land – they also see exploitation, slavery and cruelty.
They go undercover, so to speak and endeavour to establish trading relations of their own – they seek to do so through cooperation and friendship.
Haughty and rich, the Kadambas dismiss them and have Brema and his band of men imprisoned and whipped for their insolence – we won’t go into how Brema and his men break free.
The second half takes a gripping turn and one of the strongest aspects of Shetty’s oeuvre is his ability to keep you guessing…The Daivas are awakened – cruelty and suffering reign and gods and their spirits and ambassadors on earth must take action.
Anyone familiar with ancient Indian culture will recognise these figures – both the imagination and the computer generated imagery (CGI) is impressive.
If you are familiar with religious ‘spirit possession’ and speaking in tongues (as it is called in the West) you will understand the drama and conflict. it has a certain poetry to it all.
All in all, it’s an exhilarating ride – Shetty is great, Vasanth is fine too but Devaiah deserves huge credit too – and maintains the interest in a first half that waivers slightly at points.
Go into the cinema with an open mind, let your imagination engage and you should enjoy this family action caper.
Some might find the mythology a bit too much; while a few, may feel disappointed that there are no great anthems or big set piece song & dance sequences that hold the same breathtaking quality of much of the rest of the production but Shetty proves that he is one of India’s most talented filmmakers, again.
Acv rating: **** (Out of five)
‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ is out in cinemas now globally…(October 2)
