Kantara Chapter 1 starring Rishab Shetty to hit screens worldwide with major distribution

Kantara: Chapter 1 is a prequel to Rishab Shetty’s Kantara (2022), which was directed by the actor himself.

By Goutham S

Published on Sep 09, 2025 | 04:52 PM IST | 44K

Rishab Shetty's Kantara Chapter 1 set for massive worldwide theatrical release in over 30 countries (PC: Hombale Films, X)

Kantara: Chapter 1 is slated to release in theaters on October 2, 2025, exploring the origins of the legend and the folklore around it. Now, the mythological action drama is also set to hit international screens simultaneously.

Kantara: Chapter 1 is hitting screens worldwide with massive distribution

According to the makers, Kantara: Chapter 1 will hit theaters across 30+ countries, making it a pan-world release.

The team has announced that the film will be released in key international markets including the UK, UAE, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, USA, Canada, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Fiji, Mauritius, the Caribbean, Japan, Australia and Germany, among others.

Following the massive success of the first installment, the prequel takes the saga to a whole new scale.

More about Kantara: Chapter 1

Kantara: Chapter 1 will reportedly revolve around lost ancient traditions from the Tulu region in Karnataka. The film will delve deeper into the lore of Panjurli Daiva and Guliga Daiva deities, creating a thematic connection to the first installment.

While the original movie explored just a simple insight into the facets of Panjurli Daiva, the prequel is expected to offer a more detailed narrative and is said to be a one-of-a-kind experience in Indian cinema.

Set in pre-colonial coastal Karnataka, the film is touted to be a man’s exploration into the connected experiences of nature and divinity under the rule of the Kadambas of Banavasi. This was initially teased as the backstory for the ancestral conflict in Kantara (2022).

With Rishab Shetty starring in the lead role, the film is directed by the actor himself. Apart from him, Rukmini Vasanth and Gulshan Devaiah are confirmed to play co-leads, with Malayalam actor Jayaram also expected to play a key role.

The project is backed by Vijay Kiragandur and Chaluve Gowda under the banner of Hombale Films. As B. Ajaneesh Loknath composes the musical tracks and background score, Arvind Kashyap handles the cinematography.

As the movie is now less than a month away from release, it will be hitting the big screens in multiple languages, including Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Bengali, and English.

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