Kantara movie review: Rishab Shetty offers a unique story steeped in Indian culture and mythology that is unquestionably one of the greatest attempts by an Indian director in recent times.
Kantara had received endorsements from persons considerably more experienced in the field of film at the time this article was written, with many more National Awards than this writer could ever hope to win. So I'll confess that I walked into the theatre with a preconceived opinion about the movie, hoping for the best. Kantara, on the other hand, completely blew me away. This tremendous film's stunning fusion of action, excitement, religion, and mythology rates among the greatest attempts by any Indian director in recent times. Also
There has been much discussion about how Indian film is losing touch with its origins and failing to unearth unique tales from the country. Because of its diversity and vastness, this area is a veritable treasure mine of legends. Kantara demonstrates what is possible when a talented storyteller chooses to present a unique narrative based in the region and its culture while bringing the skills and technical refinement of excellent cinema with him. Kantara is the age-old narrative of man vs. nature, people vs. zamindars, and the desire for land and money. But it is so much more since it smoothly and fluidly integrates themes from coastal Karnataka's culture and mythology into the plot.
The plot revolves on a hamlet in south Karnataka where a king granted the residents land 150 years ago. When the narrative begins in 1990, an upright forest officer (played well by Kishore) is attempting to limit tree cutting and hunting on that territory, which is now a reserve forest. To make things worse, the villagers think that the land was bestowed to them as a gift from their Daiva, the demigod defender of the forest, and are therefore unwilling to listen to this stranger. The local strongman Shiva (Rishab Shetty) is leading the struggle against this, and he is backed by the king's descendent, the village's sahib (Achyuth Kumar).
It's difficult to narrow down what makes Kantara tick. Let us begin with the script. It takes a common narrative and adds a distinct local flavour to it, grounding it in Indian culture and making it stand out from other similar stories. Then there's the true icing on the cake: Arvind Kashyap's stunningly exquisite cinematography. The way Arvind's lens brought Kantara's folklore to life is a lesson for storytellers. Some of the buffalo racing moments at the opening of the film, as well as all of the Daiva celebrations and graphics, deserve particular mention.
Ajaneesh Loknath's background score and music perfectly match the camera work. The employment of western instruments in several sequences representing Indian festivals was a risk that paid off handsomely. The soundtrack brings out the stories, culture, and atmosphere of the place where Kantara is located, transporting you so completely into the plot that you forget you're in a movie theatre in another part of the nation.
Rishab Shetty's acting as Shiva is striking as this irrepressible force who would go to any extent to preserve his village and his people. His well-choreographed and sleek action scenes would fit in with the greatest Hollywood flicks. Kishore, on the other hand, plays Muralidhar, the cool, seething forest inspector at odds with Shiva. It's a pleasure to witness the actor bring such energy to his parts.
This review would be incomplete if I did not highlight how colourful and dazzling the film depicts local holidays and customs. The colours are vibrant, the sounds are soothing, and the representation is strong. All of the sequences with the Daiva are gripping, and some are even terrifying. On more than one occasion, the Daiva's guttural shriek gives you shivers. Without giving anything away, I'll just say that the conclusion, although being a typical masala Indian film, raises the film to another level.
Kantara, like Sohum Shah's Tumbbad four years ago, demonstrates that earthy, rooted folk stories from India can be made into engaging movie. Kantara, in reality, continues Tumbbad's heritage. Despite the fact that it was well received by everyone who saw it. Tumbbad barely grossed Rs. 13 crore at the movie office. Kantara, on the other hand, is rapidly approaching the 100-crore milestone. It is a significant picture because its success will decide if other filmmakers in India would dare to present unique tales.
Kantara
Rishab Shetty is the director.
Rishab Shetty, Kishore, Achyuth Kumar, Sapthami Gowda, Pramod Shetty, and Manasi Sudhir star in the film.