When asked to name the film that blew their minds in 2022, Kamal Haasan and Prithviraj Sukumaran both mentioned Kannada hit Kantara. SS Rajamouli, on the other hand, stated that he did not have time to think beyond his own RRR and thus named his film. These decisions were revealed by the filmmakers during a recent round table discussion.
Kantara was initially released in Kannada, but as word of mouth spread, the producers quickly released it in several other dubbed languages, including Hindi. The film also received critical acclaim for its intense and vivid visuals, as well as writer-director Rishab Shetty’s lead performance.
In an interview with The Film Companion, Kamal stated, “Kantara is an excellent example. I am overjoyed because I am also a member of the Kannada film industry. I believe the clouds have parted and that more and more people in Karnataka, the land that gave us (great films), are thinking differently.”
“2022 has seen some great work across the industry, but one film that made me go, I wish that had happened from Malayalam,” Prithviraj Sukumaran added. Kantara, I wish I could have been a part of that.” Meanwhile, SS Rajamouli has named RRR his favourite film for 2022.
Rishab shot to national prominence with Kantara, but he insists that he wants to continue making Kannada films and has no plans to move to Bollywood. The film is now available on Amazon Prime Video in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada, as well as on Netflix in Hindi.
The film has also received widespread praise from the film industry. Hrithik Roshan recently stated that watching the Kannada film taught him a lot. “I learned so much from watching #Kantara.” The strength of @shetty rishab’s conviction elevates the film. “Outstanding storytelling, direction, and acting,” he had tweeted.
Kantara intertwines the indigenous belief system of coastal Karnataka with the conflict of land politics and man versus nature. The film is a huge box office success, grossing over 400 crores worldwide.
