What is the story about?
Cinema is said to be the most powerful tool to educate, inform and spread awareness among the people. Stories from the heartland, culturally rich regions
and folklore tales are extremely special to the audience. Rishab Shetty is among the modern storytellers who introduced people to the revered and preserved culture of Bhoota Kola, which is a centuries-old tradition in Uttar Karnataka. With Kantara in 2022, the actor-director captured the attention of the South film market along with the Hindi belt. The mythological drama with supernatural elements made Bhoota Kola famous and people who weren’t aware of the tradition of Daiva worship referred to the film to gain more understanding. The popularity of Kantara, a Kannada film, made Rishab explore the subject and ritual in detail with its prequel, Kantara: Chapter 1.
Rishab Shetty takes leap of faith
In 2025, Rishab went pan-India with Kantara: Chapter 1. The budget was increased, the scale got bigger, and sets became grander. But one thing that stayed the same is Rishab’s passion for telling the story that belonged exclusively to his land. Pushing the bar higher with an ambitious storytelling style and advanced technique to make it a visual spectacle, Shetty unleashed his A-game yet again with a popular star cast by his side to bring his vision to life.
Celebrating Tulu Nadu's culture
This time, the audience was much more prepared and familiar with the world of Kantara. Instead of sticking to the simplistic story of Uttar Karnataka, Rishab surprised his fans with a layered narrative that didn’t restrict itself to Guliga Daiva and Panjurli Davia. Projecting the richness of the culture and the land’s unshakeable beliefs, Shetty took the film industry by storm. His faith and devotion connected with the audience. Their trust in the director-actor was strong enough to translate into a phenomenal box office collection. Bringing devotional cinema back into vogue, he also made sure that a content-driven story doesn’t fall short of cinematic escapism. Created specifically for the big screen, Kantara: Chapter 1 took the risk of an OTT release within a month. This move did not affect the box office reign.
Kantara Chapter 1 box office
Kantara: Chapter 1 became a box office success. In India, the film earned Rs 740.89 crore gross, whereas the overseas business took the lifetime total to Rs 851.89 crore. Going pan-India with this dream project proved profitable for Rishab and Hombale Films. With the right pre-release buzz, curiosity to delve deeper into the history of the folk tradition, and the goodwill of Kantara encouraged a massive footfall in theatres. To add to it, Kantara: Chapter 1 released on Dussehra/Vijayadashami across the country. The festive weekend called for families stepping into theatres to watch a mythologically rooted movie, which is a rarity now.
Why Kantara Chapter 1 dominated box office?
At the box office, Kantara: Chapter 1 stood out for many reasons. While the South industry, including Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil, offered thrillers and action movies, a Kannada film broke the clutter. Light on action, heavy on history and culture. This seemed to be the perfect recipe on paper, and how it was executed for the big screen deserves applause. Celebrating the beauty of nature and erecting sets on real locations for authenticity, Shetty and his team went an extra mile to draw the audience’s attention and keep them hooked throughout. Not many Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam films have achieved what Kantara: Chapter 1 did with a relatively economical budget.
Unlike many event films, Kantara: Chapter 1 opted for reasonable ticket pricing. In modern times, the movie proved that the audience still prefers watching stories that belong to India, its traditions and cultures. Taking a different route, that too a risky one, Shetty’s acquaintance with the folklore made it an authentic watch. Kantara: Chapter surpassed Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava at the worldwide box office. It remains at the top with no other South titles exceeding the Rs 850 crore mark. Allowing content to do the heavy-lifting and performances that challenged every norm, Kantara: Chapter 1 was everything a family audience wanted. A clean entertainer that made many bow their heads down in faith, reverence and devotion.
It won’t be unfair to call this ‘The Rishab Shetty Phenomenon’. The actor and director dedicated years to bringing the world of Kantara alive. It paid off and how. Now, Rishab is one of the most sought-after directors and actors in the country. Among the richest, too. Kantara: Chapter 1 is a case study in itself that teaches the power of devotion, honest storytelling and patience that is paramount in making movies.
