‘Kantara’ Franchise to Continue? Speculation Surrounds a Third Film

The release of ‘Kantara: Chapter 1,’ featuring Rishab Shetty, has been met with an enthusiastic response, with the film achieving impressive box office numbers. As a prequel, the movie is set thousands of years before the events of the original ‘Kantara’ (2022). The ending of ‘Kantara Chapter 1’ reportedly suggests a continuation of the franchise, with a third installment potentially in development. The rumored title for this sequel is ‘Kantara: A Legend Chapter 2,’ although no formal announcement has yet been made. Rishab Shetty is the star, director, and writer of the film. He stars as Berme, supported by Rukmini Vasanth as Kanakavathi and Gulshan Devaiah as Kulashekara. The film benefits from the cinematography of Arvind S. Kashyap and the music of B. Ajaneesh Loknath. Vijay Kiragandur, under Hombale Films, is the producer. On its opening day, ‘Kantara Chapter 1’ earned Rs 60 crore. While a strong debut, it trails slightly behind the opening day collections of ‘They Call Him OG’ and ‘Coolie’, which earned Rs 63.73 crore and Rs 77 crore respectively. The 2022 film, also directed by and starring Rishab Shetty, featured Sapthami Gowda, Kishore, and Achyuth Kumar. The narrative follows a Kambala champion whose clash with a forest officer triggers a larger dispute involving sacred land, ancestral traditions, and the contrast between natural elements and established law. ‘Kantara’ (2022) became the highest-grossing Kannada film upon its release. Rishab Shetty was awarded the National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film.