Rishab Shetty on the poster of Kantara: Chapter 1.
Credit: Hombale Films
Rishab Shetty’s Kantara (2022) stirred a nationwide storm on its release and emerged as one of the biggest blockbusters of Indian cinema. The success of the story laid a strong foundation for its prequel, Kantara: Chapter 1, with audiences eagerly waiting for its release.
While the poster has kept the audience hooked, the film is touted as one of the most ambitious cinema projects in the making. Amidst peak anticipation for Kantara: Chapter 1, the film has now entered its final shooting schedule.
The last schedule of Kantara: Chapter 1 has started today in Kundapur, Karnataka. Sources suggest that the shooting is happening as per the plan and the crew is filming key scenes at about 20 km from Kundapur.
In 2022, Hombale Films left no stone unturned in taking the legacy of this masterpiece forward. The makers curated an extensive war sequence for Kantara: Chapter-1 which was crafted by national and international specialists. Reportedly, they hired over 500 skilled fighters for the sequence, curating a never-before-seen fight sequence with action choreography that is at par if not better than the best of the best.
A sequence of this size required extreme preparations and the actor-director Rishab Shetty underwent a three-month-long and extensive training where he mastered horse riding, kalaripayattu and sword fighting. Rishab put all efforts in doing justice to the magnanimous war sequence.
To shoot this massive sequence, the makers identified a very unusual real location in the mountains of Karnataka. Hombale films had shot this sequence in an entire town spanning 25 acres situated on the terrains of the state for around 45 - 50 days.
With its gripping narrative, breathtaking visuals and heartfelt performances, Kantara connected with audiences far beyond Indian borders. With Kantara: Chapter 1, the craze for Kantara is expected to reach new heights, promising audiences an even more gripping cinematic experience. Kantara: Chapter 1 is all scheduled to release on October 2, 2025.