Kantara Review: In The Era Of Remakes And Adaptations, We Get To See A Story That Is Very Local And Deeply Connected
Cast: Rishab Shetty, Kishore Kumar G, Achyuth Kumar
Director: Rishab Shetty
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 4.5/5 (four and a half stars) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Kantara Review: If you look over the years, the content of Kannada movies seems to be changing here is another masterpiece Kantara released in Theaters. Rishabh Shetty, Rakshit Shetty, and Raj B Shetty from Dakshina Kannada, popularly known as RRR, are showing the great influence on Kannada cinema. It seems that the movie is being changed to some extent. Recently 777 Charlie, Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana and the latest Kantara movies came from them. They are taking the desired content from people’s lives and making it universal. The recently released movie Kantara is also similar is this movie good? Kantara means mysterious forest. This is a Kannada film written and directed by Rishabh Shetty. He is also the lead actor in this film. The producer of ‘Kantara’ is Vijay Kiragandur, of Hombale Films. This is the same Hombale Films that made KGF.
Kantara Review: The Story
There is a village: Kundapura. Which is the seaside area of Karnataka. Centuries ago, the king of that place had given a place to the tribal people there. So that he can build his house and temple there. In return, their clan gods used to protect the king. That total deity is ‘Panjurli’. He protects the people, village and forest of Kundapur. It is a folk tale, or as it is written in the tagline of the film, Dant Katha. It has been going on like this for years. But now the king’s but the grandson’s but the grandson wants that place back. Because it is very valuable land. Along with this, the people of the village take wood, herbs, etc. from the forest and also hunt. This too has been going on for years. Now a forest officer arrives, who tells the people of the village that they cannot take over the forest land. Can’t hunt. This leads to a fierce fight between them.
The film begins with Shiva (Rishabh Shetty), whose father practices ‘Bhuta Kola’. No one can do this. Only a select few can do it. In this custom, a man wears divine garb. Well clothes, jewelry and make-up. Then performs dancing and other arts for the deity. Due to this method, when the soul of the deity comes into that person, no one can say. Shiva does not like all this, and he stays away from all of this. He is also a Kambala player. There is a race of Kambala buffaloes, which takes place every year and its hero takes part in it with great enthusiasm.
Kantara Review and Analysis
How does the story of all this progress? How do they settle their disputes? How does he cope with what Shiva has been running away from all his life, that is the story ahead. Saptami Gowda, who plays Leela, is in the role of Shiva’s love interest. There are two or three such scenes, where Shiva does obscene acts with her. Like watching him hide while taking a bath etc. This is wrong, but the purpose of these scenes is to show you what a petty man Shiva is. He keeps getting scolded by his mother all the time. But when the need arises, he stands by his people. Untouchability has also been shown in the film. Kishore is in the role of Forest Officer, who has done a great job.
The cinematographer of Kantara is Arvind Kashyap. He has captured the jungle scenes very well. Music is given by Ajneesh Loknath. Which is a great mix of folk and rock. The action sequences of the film are very graceful and have been choreographed by Vikram Mor, who has won the National Award twice. The beauty of this film is its storytelling. In the era of remakes and adaptations, we get to see a story that is very local and deeply connected to the people. Very rich culture and heritage are depicted. There are very colorful close-ups, and these make for an amazing visual experience. There are many such scenes, in which goosebumps stand. Action is also so right that don’t ask! Sometimes in the mud, sometimes on the roof, sometimes in the rain! And the climax is the climax in the true sense. You see that Rishabh Shetty has given his whole life.
This movie came to the audience with local content. Bhoota kola, kambala, and chicken races in Dakshina Kannada are well shown in the film. The audience gets a new feeling. Twists in the story are also good. The director keeps the audience engaged without getting bored anywhere. While talking about feudalism, environmental protection, and encroachment of forest land, the director shows local cultures like folklore, Bhuta Kola, God worship, Naga worship, and Kambala. Smuggling forest resources in, rural background, the Bhoota Koala, which has been practiced for generations in the coastal area, is shown very well. The Kannada language in this movie is also in the local Dakshina Kannada dialect. But some methods seem to be glamorized in the zeal to showcase local culture. He tried to please the audience through a commercial framework.
The struggle for ground and survival has been portrayed in the film in many ways. But Kantara is different from that. The film narrates the story by exposing the cultural heritage of Karnataka, conveying the message that nature will retaliate if humans harm the forest. Kampala competition, Bhutakolam similar to Kerala’s Theiyat, worship of God and folk music are the lifeblood of ‘Kantara’. Rishabh Shetty’s screenplay is very powerful, combining art, faith and customs to deal with issues like the Janmi-Madambi system and encroachment of forest land. A similar presentation of Vishnu’s third avatar, Varaham, saving the earth by vanquishing the demon, added to the strength of the story. There are many layers to the picture that show that when the wheel of time turns, everything ends where it started.
By showing the repetition of events over a certain period and specifying its continuity, the director provides fertile soil and fertilizer for the audience’s thoughts. Kantara gives a grand cinematic experience as the presentation is in line with the advancing script and the right blend of genres like comedy, romance, horror, mystery, thriller, action and drama. In the story that is rooted in the soil, the characters who are treading on the soil are to be seen. Each character has been chosen beautifully so that the audience can connect with it. The protagonist Shiva is the champion of Kampala competitions. He does not have any special job, he goes hunting with his friends, cuts wood in the forest, makes a threshing floor, and celebrates his life as a servant of the lord. A childhood experience related to Bhutakola haunts Shiva constantly through his dreams. Rishabh Shetty as Shivaay has given a good performance in all these parts. When he reaches the climax, he shocks the screenwriter, director and actor alike. Every part of the movie is good, but the highlight is the climax.
The movie was above average and the climax took it even further. Although the past is meticulously captured and presented from the beginning of the film, the intensity is extreme in the climax. There are scenes where Rishabh Shetty, who was a mass hero till then, is rocking with it as an actor. The actor brought Shiva’s mental state, fear, anger and love to the screen beautifully and the transformation in the character according to the storyline is shocking. Kishor who played the role of DRFO Murali, Achyut Kumar as Bhuvudam and Sapthami Gowda who played Leela gave impressive performances. Also, those who came as Shiva’s friends and dressed as villagers all dressed up in their costumes. The reason why the climax is so effective is with the actor in Shetty, His director also competed. Actor Rishabh Shetty capitalizes on the suspense that director Rishabh Shetty builds through Shiva’s dreams in the climax.
Apart from the story, direction and acting, all the small and big elements are excellent in the film. Therefore, Kantara is undoubtedly a masterpiece. Kantara can be described as a combination of the technically advanced ‘Hero’ and the artistically advanced ‘Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana’. Arvind S Kashyap’s cinematography and B Ajneesh Loknath’s music are important elements of the film. The visuals that go deep into the audience and the background music will stay in the mind even after watching the movie. Later, when talking about the movie and recommending it to someone else, that’s what comes to mind.
The overall visual language of the film, sound design and editing have all raised the level of enjoyment tenfold. It is due to the excellence of these elements that the climax becomes thrilling as well as thrilling for the audience. The excellence in the action scenes is also worth mentioning. Action scenes also play a crucial role in satisfying the audience. The visual and special effects are also good. One never feels that one is watching a film with a budget of fewer than 15 crores. The film maintains a very good production quality from the beginning. Music and locations are the main strength of this movie. The movie is very colorful. Ajanish Loknath’s background music makes the Romas cringe at times. Cinematographer Arvind Kashyap’s work is visible. The shooting of the Kambala scenes was done brilliantly. The last 20 minutes of the movie will impress you Feels new.
Kantara Review: The Last Words
Apart from wowing the audience, Kantara also has a lot to emulate in the film industry. One of the important ones is the exhibition of our art forms. ‘Kanthara’ can be seen as the latest proof that commercial films with artistic value can attract more audiences. As the Kannada version did not hit the screens much and the dubbing was not available, most of the audience did not get to enjoy the film. It is a movie that needs to be experienced in the theater itself, so definitely try to watch the movie when it gets a wide release in languages including Malayalam.
