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Tag: Kantara

  • 5 South films to watch in theaters this week: Rishab Shetty starrer Kantara Chapter 1 to Dhanush’s Idli Kadai

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    South Indian films are gearing up with an exciting new lineup of releases, taking up top spots in the audience’s watchlist. If you’re still wondering what to watch this week in theaters, here are the movies you need to check out.

    5 South films to watch in theaters this week

    1. Kantara: Chapter 1

    • Cast: Rishab Shetty, Rukmini Vasanth, Jayaram, Gulshan Devaiah, Pramod Shetty, Rakesh Poojari, Prakash Thuminad, Deepak Rai Panaje, Hariprashanth MG, Shaneel Gautham
    • Director: Rishab Shetty
    • Language: Kannada
    • Genre: Mythological Period Epic
    • Runtime: 2 hours and 48 minutes
    • Release date: October 2, 2025

    Kantara: Chapter 1, starring Rishab Shetty in the lead role, is slated to hit the silver screens on October 2, 2025. Written and directed by the actor himself, the film is the second installment in the Kantara franchise and serves as a prequel to Kantara (2022).

    The film explores the origins of the lore behind Kantara, partially teased in the first installment. Set during the reign of the Kadambas of Banavasi, the movie promises a blend of mysticism and ancestral conflict. Similar to its predecessor, Kantara: Chapter 1 delves into the connection between man, nature, and the divine.

    While more details are awaited, Rukmini Vasanth and Gulshan Devaiah are playing the co-leads.

    2. Erra Cheera

    • Cast: Srikanth, Ajay, Kamal Kamaraju, Suman Babu, Karunya Chowdary, Sanjana Shetty, Bhanu Shree, Ali
    • Director: Suman Babu
    • Language: Telugu
    • Genre: Horror Thriller
    • Runtime: TBA
    • Release date: October 1, 2025

    Erra Cheera is a Telugu-language horror thriller that follows the lives of Dasu and Avanthika, a newly married couple. After their wedding, Avanthika kills Dasu’s grandmother to usurp her property and later transforms into a malevolent spirit, haunted by the unresolved death of her own mother.

    Meanwhile, a police officer, Sivakumar, becomes entangled in the unfolding supernatural events. The central mystery revolves around Avanthika’s true intentions and Dasu’s unexpected connection to the events.

    3. Maria

    • Cast: Saishri Prabhakaran, Pavel Navageethan, Sidhu Kumaresan, Vignesh Ravi, Sudha Pushpa
    • Director: Hari K. Sudhan
    • Language: Tamil
    • Genre: Drama
    • Runtime: 2 hours and 15 minutes
    • Release date: October 3, 2025

    Maria is a Tamil-language drama that follows the life of a nun who begins to experience personal desires, leading her to leave the monastery. After stepping away from the religious life, she finds herself drawn to a satanic cult.

    The rest of the film explores her struggles within the cult, her quest for liberation, and her journey towards self-acceptance and normalcy. With Saishri Prabhakaran as the lead, the movie is slated for release on October 3, 2025.

    4. Mutton Soup

    • Cast: Raman Reddy Korivi, Varsha Vishwanath, Gemini Suresh, Sanapala Ramakrishna, Govindraj Neerudi, Kiran Medasani
    • Director: Ramachandra Vattikuti
    • Language: Telugu
    • Genre: Suspense Crime Thriller
    • Runtime: 2 hours and 12 minutes
    • Release date: October 2, 2025

    Mutton Soup is a suspenseful family crime thriller that tells the tale of Sriram, a financier, born into an affluent family. After getting married, he and his wife experience several marital challenges, with one life-altering incident changing their relationship forever.

    As a dangerous conspiracy brews beneath the surface, the movie explores the themes of greed, betrayal, and hidden intentions. The “mutton soup” becomes a symbolic thread in the gripping narrative.

    5. Idli Kadai

    • Cast: Dhanush, Nithya Menen, Arun Vijay, Rajkiran, Sathyaraj, R. Parthiban, Shalini Pandey, Samuthirakani, Geetha Kailasam
    • Director: Dhanush
    • Language: Tamil
    • Genre: Family Drama
    • Runtime: 2 hours and 27 minutes
    • Release date: October 1, 2025

    Idli Kadai tells the story of Murugan, a young man from a humble background working at a prestigious restaurant chain. Despite his success, Murugan returns to his roots to take over his father’s local idli shop.

    As he embarks on a journey of self-discovery and love, his former employer becomes his adversary, leading to a heated rivalry. What happens in Murugan’s life and why his former employee is standing against him forms the crux of the story.

    ALSO READ: The Raja Saab Trailer OUT: Prabhas starrer horror comedy is heavy on visual effects, to release on Pongal 2026

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  • Rashmika Mandanna’s ex fiancé Rakshit Shetty talks about the Animal actress, says ‘She always had big dreams’

    Rashmika Mandanna’s ex fiancé Rakshit Shetty talks about the Animal actress, says ‘She always had big dreams’

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    Rashmika Mandanna and Rakshit Shetty were engaged once upon a time, and the reports claim that the actress called off her engagement with the actor. In his latest interview, Rakshit spoke about the bond he shares with the Animal actress despite their past. Reportedly, in an interview, he spoke positively about the actress and even mentioned that they are still in touch with him. When asked about the Kantara star Rishabh Shetty and he himself being in touch with Rahamika, Rakshit laughed and said,” Rishab… I am not sure (laughs). Me and Rashmika message each other once in a while. Not like a constant touch. But whenever my film releases, she wishes me, and I wish her whenever her film releases. On birthdays, we exchange wishes.”

    Rashmika was lately trolled for showing disrespect towards both the Shetty brothers as she spoke about her debut film without mentioning their names and just referred to their production house, Kirk Party. This production house is owned by Rishabh and Rakshit, and Rashmika made her debut with Rakshit. Rakshit Shetty even lauded Rashmika for achieving great success in her career and added,” She always had big dreams. She is achieving it. She should be given credit for that.”

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  • EXCLUSIVE: Nawazuddin Siddiqui says he and Rishab Shetty are friends, opens up on chances of a collaboration

    EXCLUSIVE: Nawazuddin Siddiqui says he and Rishab Shetty are friends, opens up on chances of a collaboration

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    Months after the release of Kantara, its actor-director Rishab Shetty continues to receive love for his Kannada action-thriller. In a recent conversation with Pinkvilla, Nawazuddin Siddiqui opened up about his December meeting with Rishab, and about his fondness for the star. Nawaz had posted pictures from their meeting on Instagram with the caption, “It was super amazing to spend some quality time with you @rishabshettyofficial & @pramodshettyk & team #kantara at my house. Surprisingly @rishabshettyofficial and I have so many things in common that we could talk about it endlessly.” 

    Elaborating about the meeting, Nawazuddin Siddiqui shared, “Rishab and his friends do a lot of theater, and one thing that is special is that our Gurus are the same. We have known each other from earlier, we have spoken earlier. So when he was here, he came over and we spoke. He is in touch with theater, and thank God he is still connected to his roots, his traditional form, and even made a film about it. So since our Gurus are the same, we have had a good association, we are even friends now.” 

    On possible collaboration 

    During their meeting did they discuss a possible collaboration, maybe for Kantara 2? “I can’t say anything now, but let’s hope. Why wouldn’t I want to work with him? He is a wonderful actor, director, and his whole team including Raj Shetty are very talented people,” Nawazuddin Siddiqui said. 

    Meanwhile, Nawaz is presently promoting Kushan Nandy’s Jogira Sara Ra Ra with Neha Sharma, which is scheduled to release on May 12.

    ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Nawazuddin Siddiqui on controversy with wife Aaliya, Says ‘I’ve no complaints with anyone’

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  • EXCLUSIVE: Rishab Shetty to film Kantara’s prequel in latter half of 2023, has completed writing first draft

    EXCLUSIVE: Rishab Shetty to film Kantara’s prequel in latter half of 2023, has completed writing first draft

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    Rishab Shetty’s Kannada action-thriller, Kantara, received a lot of love post its release last year, which is why when its prequel was announced in February this year, the fans were excited to know more about it. Reportedly, at a success bash held earlier this year in Bengaluru, the actor-director confirmed that he has already started scripting Kantara’s prequel, and the much awaited film will be unveiled in 2024. “With the blessing of almighty Daiva, the film has successfully completed 100 days and I would like to take this opportunity to announce the prequel of the film,” Rishab Shetty had earlier stated. Pinkvilla now has an exciting update on Kantara 2. 

    We have heard that Rishab will start shooting for the film in the second half of this year. “Just like the first part, Kantara’s prequel is also an extremely ambitious project for Rishab and Hombale Films, and they are leaving no stone unturned to live up to part 1. Rishab has already finished writing the first draft of the film, and his team has really liked the idea and the script. Since Rishab is a perfectionist, he will spend some more time on the script before he locks the final draft. In the meanwhile, research for the prequel is going on simultaneously, along with many other pre-production formalities are being discussed like costumes and location recce,” informs a source close to the development. 

    The idea behind Kantara’s prequel 

    Furthermore, at the same event in February 2023, Rishab Shetty had shared that the idea of a prequel had come to his mind, while he was shooting for Kantara. “It is because the history of Kantara has more depth to it. Currently, we are in the middle of digging into more details. As the research is still underway, it would be very early to reveal details about the film,” he had earlier said. Rishab has received a lot of awards for his performance in this 2022 movie.

    ALSO READ: Naga Chaitanya upset with director Parasuram; Says ‘waste to talk about him’

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  • Kantara 2: Rishabh Shetty REACTS to rumours of Urvashi Rautela doing the film with him [Watch video]

    Kantara 2: Rishabh Shetty REACTS to rumours of Urvashi Rautela doing the film with him [Watch video]

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    Kantara 2: Rishabh Shetty and Urvashi Rautela’s picture together created a lot of noise on the internet and it also started speculation of the actress might be starred opposite the Kantara star in the sequel of the film. Amid the rumours of Urvashi doing Kantara 2 along with Rishabh Shetty, the actor and the filmmaker clarified the air that nothing sort of that is happening and it was just a selfie. And, for now, he is only in the writing process and nothing has been finalised for the film yet. Also Read – Kantara 2: Rishab Shetty clears the air on Urvashi Rautela’s role the film; here’s what he said [Watch Video]

    Watch the video of Rishabh Shetty talking about the rumours of Urvashi Rautela doing Kantara 2 along with him.

    Rishabh Shetty was elated to receive Dadasaheb Phalke Awards where he spoke to Instant Bollywood about Urvashi doing Kantara 2. Well, this clarification of Rishabh will leave Urvashi Rautela’s fans disappointed but never say never, Rishabh Shetty might think of her acting as her popularity is very wide and it will help his film to reach larger audiences even more. Kantara was a superhit and many lauded Rishabh’s attempt to make a unique film based on the religious beliefs of south people. The film was largely appreciated across and now fans are eagerly waiting for Kantara 2. Rishabh is also planning to make it bigger and better. Also Read – Urvashi Rautela signs Kantara 2? Pic with Rishab Shetty goes viral; netizens say, ‘Rishabh naam hi kafi hai’

    Not only fans, but even industry people were in awe of Rishabh Shetty for making Kantara. Right from Varun Dhawan, Yami Gautam, and Rashmika Mandanna praised the film and admitted that they were in love with the end part of the movie and even admitted it wasn’t an easy scene to do. Kangana Ranaut too hailed the film and called it the best-made film in the Indian cinema and every Indian must watch this movie. Kantara 2 is the most awaited film of the year. Also Read – Trending Entertainment News Today: Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani become man and wife in royal Jaisalmer wedding, Rishab Shetty shares details on Kantara 2 and more

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  • Kantara prequel: Rishab Shetty starts scripting for the project, CONFIRMS producer Vijay Kiragandur

    Kantara prequel: Rishab Shetty starts scripting for the project, CONFIRMS producer Vijay Kiragandur

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    Kantara, the Kannada action thriller emerged as one of the biggest blockbusters of Indian cinema in 2022. The project, which is written and directed by Rishab Shetty, earned immense love from both the audiences and critics for its exceptional making and performances. Kantara also earned recognition at all the National and International platforms, has joined the Oscar race, and has qualified for two categories including Best Picture and Best Actor. Now, it is also confirmed that the Rishab Shetty starrer is getting a second part. 

    Rishab Shetty begins the scripting of Kantara prequel

    In a recent interaction with Deadline, producer Vijay Kiragandur who produced Kantara under the prestigious banner Hombale Films confirmed that the project is indeed getting a second part. Interestingly, Vijay also revealed that the second part will be a prequel to the blockbuster outing, and confirmed that Rishab Shetty has already begun the scripting for the project. “Rishab is writing the story now and has gone to the forests of coastal Karnataka with his writing associates for two months to conduct research for the film,” stated the producer.

    “Rishab is planning to start shooting in June, as a portion of the shoot requires the rainy season. And, our intention is to give the film a pan-India release in April or May next year,” added Vijay Kiragandur in his interaction with Deadline.

    Kantara joins the Oscar race

    The Rishab Shetty directorial has been qualified for the Oscars, thus emerging as the second South Indian film to reach the race this year after RRR, the blockbuster period drama directed by SS Rajamouli. The highly exciting update was announced by leading man-director Rishab Shetty himself, with a Twitter post that reads: “We are overjoyed to share that ‘Kantara’ has received 2 Oscar qualifications! A heartfelt thank you to all who have supported us. We look forward to share this journey ahead with all of your support. Can’t wait to see it shine at the  #Oscars #Kantara @hombalefilms #HombaleFilms.”

    Check out Rishab Shetty’s post below:

    About Kantara

    Kantara, which revolves around the regional ritual dance form named Bhoota Kola, narrates the story of Kaadubettu Shiva and his father in the backdrop of coastal Karnataka. Rishab Shetty appeared in a double role as the central character Kaadubettu Shiva and his father in the movie, which features Sapthami Gowda, Kishore, Achyuth Kumar, Pramod Shetty, Prakash Tuminad, Naveen D Padil, and others in the pivotal roles. Kantara is bankrolled by Vijay Kiragandur, under the banner Hombale Films. The project, which was originally released only in Kannada, was later dubbed into Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi languages after it received exceptional reviews from both the audiences and film industry members.

    ALSO READ: Rishab Shetty announces Kantara joins Oscars race; Qualifies for Best Picture and Best Actor

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  • Rishab Shetty announces Kantara joins Oscars race; Qualifies for Best Picture and Best Actor

    Rishab Shetty announces Kantara joins Oscars race; Qualifies for Best Picture and Best Actor

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    After SS Rajamouli, another South film that has reached the Oscars 2023 is Rishab Shetty‘s blockbuster entertainer Kantara. The divine drama, which earned applause worldwide, has now qualified for the Academy Awards contention list under two categories. The film is reportedly qualified for the Oscars under the Best Picture and Best Actor categories.

    Rishab Shetty on Tuesday took to Twitter and announced that Kantara has received two Oscar qualifications ahead of the nomination list announcement. However, they didn’t mention the Oscars qualifications categories. The Kantara actor and the director wrote on Twitter, “We are overjoyed to share that ‘Kantara’ has received 2 Oscar qualifications! A heartfelt thank you to all who have supported us. We look forward to share this journey ahead with all of your support. Can’t wait to see it shine at the  #Oscars #Kantara @hombalefilms #HombaleFilms.”

    Take a look at Rishab Shetty’s Kantara announcement for Oscars

    This means that the film is eligible for Oscar members to cast a vote to push it through to the main nominations. The nominations for the Oscars will be announced on January 24. The 95th Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 12, 2023.

    About Kantara

    Rishab Shetty’s Kantara proved that when content is good, language is not a factor. Kantara was always intended to be a Kannada release alone and despite the language barrier, the film performed tremendously well in all the different regions through the aid of English subtitles. The film was later released in all South languages and Hindi.

    Kantara, which is written and directed by Rishab Shetty, is set in the backdrop of the Keraadi region of coastal Karnataka. The actor-filmmaker has also played the lead role in the blockbuster movie, which is bankrolled by Vijay Kiragandur under the prestigious banner Hombale Films.

    The highly acclaimed film features Sapthami Gowda, Kishore, Achyuth Kumar, Pramod Shetty, and others in pivotal roles. Ajaneesh Loknath composed the music for Kantara. Arvind S Kashyap is the director of photography. The film crossed the Rs 400-crore mark in gross collections worldwide, making it only the second Kannada film ever to do so.
     

    Indian films for the Oscars

    In October 2022, the Gujarati movie Last Film Show (Chello Show) was announced as India’s official entry to the prestigious award night. The film has been selected as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars.

    SS Rajamouli, Ram Charan, and Jr NTR’s Naatu Naatu song from RRR has also been shortlisted in the Best Original Song category. 

    For unversed, the makers of SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus sent the ‘For Your Consideration’ campaign for the Academy award nominations. The blockbuster movie submitted in 14 categories, including Best Motion Picture, Best Director (SS Rajamouli), Best Actor in a lead role (Ram Charan and Jr NTR), Best Actors in a supporting role (Alia Bhatt and Ajay Devgn), and others. Veteran musician SS Keeravani is also in the race for Oscar nominations, in the Best Original Score category. 

    Rishab Shetty’s Kantara also submitted nominations for the Oscars 2023 in December. In an interview with India Today, the producer of Kantara, Vijay Kirgandur confirmed the same and said they are hoping for the best. The producer said, “We have submitted our application for Oscars for Kantara and have our fingers crossed as the final nominations are yet to come.” He mentioned that Kantara as a story is so rooted that we hope it can find a voice worldwide as well.

    Also Read: Kantara fame actor takes a dig at Yash’s KGF Chapter 2; Makes a SHOCKING comment
     

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  • RRR 2, Ponniyin Selvan 2, Pushpa 2 and more: 10 sequels from the South film industry to watch out for

    RRR 2, Ponniyin Selvan 2, Pushpa 2 and more: 10 sequels from the South film industry to watch out for

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    The four film industries from the South film industry of India are now garnering on both National and International platforms, with many back-to-back mega-blockbusters, and as usual, some extremely well-made meaningful films. While the Telugu language industry is playing the biggest number game at present, Kannada comes to the second position. Malayalam cinema, as always, is producing many stellar pieces of cinema, while the Tamil film industry blends both business and content-driven films together to form the most enjoyable form of content. 

    The recent mega hits from South

    As you may know, the South film fraternity has been having a dream run for the last few years, with some massive projects and small-middle budgets that went on to doing unmatchable business. Some of the biggest hits from the Southern part of India include RRR and Pushpa from Telugu cinema, the KGF franchise, and Kantara from Kannada, Ponniyin Selvan, Vikram, and many others from Tamil, and Jana Gana Mana, Minnal Murali and others from Malayalam. 

    Sequels in store

    Interestingly, many of the most loved films of recent times, including RRR, Ponniyin Selvan, Pushpa: The Rise, Kantara, Vikram, and others are now set to get sequels soon. For the unversed, Ponniyin Selvan was already planned as a two-part film, while Vikram has been established as an extension of the crime world set by Kaithi. The makers are planning sequels for RRR and Kantara, considering the unmatchable hold of these films at the box office.

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  • Dhamaka: 10 tweets to check out if you’re planning to watch Ravi Teja’s action and comedy entertainer

    Dhamaka: 10 tweets to check out if you’re planning to watch Ravi Teja’s action and comedy entertainer

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    Mass Maharaja Ravi Teja‘s film Dhamaka has hit the big screens today, on December 23 as a perfect entertainer for Christmas. It is receiving good reports from the Telugu audience and several fans, who have watched the film, shared their reviews on Twitter. While some called it a ‘blockbuster’ others called the film ‘outdated’.

    About Dhamaka

    Ravi Teja is seen in a dual role in the film and offers double entertainment, which is one of the biggest highlights. Ravi Teja plays Swamy, a street-smart guy and a businessman named Anand Chakravarthy. The Dhamaka cast further incorporates actress Sreeleela as the female lead in the movie. Bankrolled by TG Vishwa Prasad on a huge budget, Vivek Kuchibhotla is the co-producer of the movie being made under the banners of People Media Factory and Abhishek Aggarwal Arts. 

    While Prasanna Kumar Bezawada has provided the script for Dhamaka, Karthik Ghattamaneni is cranking the camera for the drama. Additionally, Prawin Pudi is looking after the editing for the movie, and Bheems Ceciroleo has rendered the music for the film.

    As has become almost a custom, netizens shared their opinions of the film on Twitter. A fan shared, “Telugu states just witnessed what is called MASS EUPHORIA. #Dhamaka.” Another Twitter user wrote, “Power Packed Energetic Performance By Mass MahaRaja @RaviTeja_offl Best in Recent Times , He Is Back To His Entertainment Fort , Dance Dialogues Fights. Overall a Good Watch .

    Well, if you are planning to watch Dhamaka this weekend, here are a few tweets from the netizens you should definitely read here:

    Upcoming projects

    Over and above this, Ravi Teja will further headline Sudheer Varma’s Telugu action drama Ravanasura. He will be seen sharing the screen with Sushanth Akkineni. He is also working on his first Pan-India film, Tiger Nageswara Rao. Directed by filmmaker Vamsee, the project is set against the backdrop of the 70s in a village named Stuartpuram. 

    Also Read: Throwback Thursday: When Ram Charan and Prabhas set the stage on fire with their thumkas
     

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  • Drishyam 2 brings cheer for Bollywood box office after Kantara’s magic turn in the Hindi belt

    Drishyam 2 brings cheer for Bollywood box office after Kantara’s magic turn in the Hindi belt

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    Drishyam 2, the second installment of Bollywood’s remake of the Mohanlal-starrer Malayalam original, has brought cheer to the Hindi box office. Released seven years after its first part Drishyam, the Ajay Devgn and Tabu-starrer is estimated to have collected over Rs 50 crore in its opening weekend, notching up the second-biggest start of the year. Add to that, overseas collections of Rs 12.7 crore, primarily driven by the US, Canada, and the Middle East, and Drishyam 2 is on its way to becoming a huge hit.  

    Released on more than 3,300 screens, Drishyam 2 also had a stronger opening than Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 — the biggest Hindi hit of 2022 — across national multiplex chains PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis. “#Drishyam2 rejuvenates the industry that was going through a turbulent phase after a string of failures… The remarkable run continues pan-India, multiplexes superb, mass pockets join the party,” wrote trade analyst Taran Adarsh in a series of tweets. 

    Interestingly, Drishyam 2 also garnered good reviews from critics. Add to that, the positive word of mouth from audiences on social media, and the film could be looking at a Rs 80-100 crore lifetime collection domestically, say analysts. “Drishyam 2 opening has been a positive surprise. It is showing a recovery trend [at the box office],” Karan Taurani, SVP of Elara Capital, told Business Today. 

    Elaborating on the advantages of a franchise film, he said, “Typically, remakes and second parts have done well, barring a few like Heropanti 2. Franchise films have a stronger recall for the audience, and you don’t need to do new and aggressive marketing for that particular piece of content. We have seen what the Singham franchise did at the box office too.”

    Drishyam 2’s success also brought back midnight and early morning shows across theatres. In the run-up to its release, India’s largest multiplex operator PVR Cinemas shared that it “received record pre-bookings” for the film. Gautam Dutta, CEO, PVR Limited, said in a statement, “We are seeing the trend of families coming back to cinemas and Drishyam 2 pre-sales substantiates this trend… Drishyam 2’s success debunks the thinking that only ‘larger than life’ or ‘horror comedies’ will work, mid-size drama/thrillers etc. will struggle in cinemas.”

    Drishyam 2’s success is also expected to augur well for multiplex stocks in the near term. Abneesh Roy, Executive Director at Edelweiss Financial Services, said, “We maintain ‘BUY’ on PVR and Inox. Most of the Drishyam 2 shows are almost full, and it has begun picking up in mass pockets too. This raises hopes for a better Q3FY23 after the Hindi box office’s slow performance in Q2.”

    Analysts agree that Q3 will see some respite compared to Q2, which saw even big-budget projects like Vikram Vedha perform below par. It was only towards the end of October and early November that the stupendous success of Kannada film Kantara (with its Hindi dubbed version collecting Rs 80-90 crore) sent the cash registers ringing. “Kantara came out of nowhere with zero marketing effort in the Hindi belt. It somewhat made up for the losses of the Hindi films,” Taurani explained. 

    However, he cautioned that Q3 may not be as good as Q1, which saw a 15 per cent growth over pre-covid levels. “Broadly for Q3, the bigger part of the recovery will come towards the end of the year, from Avatar 2 and Cirkus (a large-scale comedy film by Rohit Shetty). Drishyam 2 and a strong December will see 85 per cent of the recovery, which is still 12-15 per cent below pre-covid levels,” Taurani added. 

    Also read: Drishyam 2 Box Office Collection Day 1: Ajay Devgn’s film earns Rs 15 cr

    Also read: ‘Drishyam 2’ review: ‘Sure shot hit’, netizens and critics give thumbs up to Ajay Devgn-starrer thriller

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  • Rishab Shetty’s ‘Kantara’ Scores $36.5 Million

    Rishab Shetty’s ‘Kantara’ Scores $36.5 Million

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    Rishabh Shetty’s surprise hit Kantara continues to score big even as it completed the fourth week of its release in India. It has earned $36.5 million by the end of the fourth week of the release across all languages. The Kannada film released on September 30 and the subsequent box office success led to a quick release of the Hindi version of the film on October 14.

    The Hindi version of Kantara alone is giving tough competition to latest Bollywood releases including Ajay Devgn-starrer Thank God and Akshay Kumar’s Ram Setu. Kantara scored the highest in the Hindi belt on Saturday, collecting $0.45million. Thank God collected $0.048 million and Ram Setu collected 0.15 million in the Indian markets. The Hindi version of the film alone has collected $6.5 million in total.

    Kantara has also topped Kannada films’ collection in the Hindi belts. Collecting $6.5 million, Hindi version of the film surpassed the previous record set by Yash-starrer KG Chapter 1 in 2018 (the Hindi version collected $5.1 million).

    Set with the backdrop of traditional beliefs of ‘Daivaradhane’ prevalent in certain regions of the Indian state of Karnataka, the film is about man’s conflict with nature. It also showcases the ritual of ‘Bhoot Kola’ that involves worshipping of local spirits and deities. The person performing the ritual is believed to turn into God himself at the moment of the performance. The God even listens to people’s problems and offers advices. Shetty essays the lead role in the film that also stars Kishore, Sapthami Gowda, and Achyuth Kumar. The film was made on an estimated budget of $2.5 million.

    Even Indian ministers are praising the film. Commerce and Industry minister Piyush Goyal said at an investors’ event that the industry must note the success of Kantara and how it has already scored almost 20 times of the investment amount. Finance minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman also watched the film and appreciated Shetty later.

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  • Kantara EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Rishab Shetty on his recent meeting with Rajinikanth: ‘That was a big fanboy moment’

    Kantara EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Rishab Shetty on his recent meeting with Rajinikanth: ‘That was a big fanboy moment’

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    Rishab Shetty’s Kannada action-thriller Kantara has been garnering praise from all over the world, and recently Rajinikanth also heaped praise on this recently released film. “‘The unknown is more than the known’ no one could have said this better in cinema than @hombalefilms #KantaraMovie you gave me goosebumps @shetty_rishab Rishab hats off to you as a writer, director and actor. Congrats to the whole cast and crew of this masterpiece in Indian cinema,” the superstar actor wrote on Twitter. 

    Soon after Rishab went and met Rajinikanth. In a recent conversation with Pinkvilla, the Kantara actor opened up about this meeting. “I met him and spent almost one hour with him. That was a big fanboy moment for me. We spoke about every scene, how I did it, how I executed them, and about his spiritual journey too. That was a wonderful moment,” says Rishab.




    He further adds, “Main bachpan se bahut bada fan hun (I have been a big fan of his ever since I was a child). As a lead actor my first film was Bell Bottom, and I had tried imitating him in that film. In the song sequence, I tried one of his styles. I told him about that, and he laughed about it.”

    Being inspired by Dr. Rajkumar

    Meanwhile, Rishab says that he wanted to become an actor ever since he was in the sixth standard. “I was involved in folk art, and my interest in the field had developed from then.” He was always inspired by late actor Dr. Rajkumar. “He is the biggest inspiration. I used to see him on TV, and even my mother is a big fan of Dr. Rajkumar. So much so that even when she would be busy with work, and his song would appear on television, she would stop everything and start watching it. I also used to mimic him when I was a child,” Rishab Shetty concludes.

    ALSO READ: Kantara EXCLUSIVE: Rishab Shetty on doing odd jobs before debut: Couldn’t ask dad for money always

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  • ‘Well made’: FM Sitharaman watches Kantara, congratulates director Rishab Shetty

    ‘Well made’: FM Sitharaman watches Kantara, congratulates director Rishab Shetty

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    Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday watched the Kannada action thriller ‘Kantara’ at Inox Cinemas in Bengaluru, Karnataka. After watching the movie, Sitharaman spoke to ‘Kantara’ director Rishab Shetty and congratulated him. 

    The finance minister watched the movie with a team of volunteers. She said Kantara is a well-made movie that captures the rich traditions of Tuluvanadu and Karavali.

    Kantara, which hit the screens on September 30, has become the talk of the town for its compelling plot which involves conflict between humans and nature. Made in just Rs 16 crore budget, the thriller has so far collected globally Rs 280 crore. 

    The movie has received solid reviews from not just only film critics but also from other actors and politicians.  

    Earlier today, Union Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal praised Kantara saying it “showcases the culture of Karnataka”. “Kantara is a low-budget film that showcases the culture of Karnataka. It has grossed nearly 20 times its investment. Investors and industry are attracted to India and the state that has very progressive policies,” he said. 

    Superstar Rajinikanth recently took to Twitter to praise the director for producing “this masterpiece in Indian cinema”. He said the Kantara movie gave him goosebumps. “Rishab hats off to you as a writer, director, and actor. Congrats to the whole cast and crew of this masterpiece in Indian cinema,” he said.

    Film critic Taran Adarsh today said that Kantara has crossed the lifetime business of KGF Part 1 – another Kannada blockbuster – in Hindi version. He said the movie will cross the Rs 50 crore mark in the third week.

    With a spectacular 9.1 rating, Kantara has now topped IMDb’s list of ‘India’s Current Top 250 Films’.   

    Bahubali star Prabhas in an Instagram post said he watched Kantara for the second time and “what an extraordinary experience it has been”. “Great concept and a thrilling climax. A must-watch film in theatres,” he wrote.

    Actor Dhanush also praised ‘Kantara’ calling it a “mind-blowing’ and “a must-watch” movie. 
     

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  • Kantara: Court directs the makers to stop playing ‘Varaha Roopam’ song in theatres

    Kantara: Court directs the makers to stop playing ‘Varaha Roopam’ song in theatres

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    The Kozhikode sessions court issued an order on October 28, Friday, which has now become a major turning point in the Kantara plagiarism row. As per the reports, the court has directed the makers of Kantara to stop playing the controversial ‘Varaha Roopam’ song in the theatres. The Kozhikode sessions court issued an injunction barring the makers from playing the ‘Varaha Roopam’ song, after receiving a plagiarism lawsuit from the popular Malayalam music band, Thaikkudam Bridge. The song is also barred from all the major streaming platforms.

    Thaikkudam Bridge takes a firm stand on Kantara plagiarism row

    The renowned music band had earlier made it clear that they will take legal action against the creative team of Kantara for copying their popular number, ‘Navarasa’. Thaikkudam Bridge took to their official social media handles and revealed that the Kozhikode sessions issued an injunction order against playing ‘Varaha Roopam’ on theatres and streaming platforms, on the ground of copyright infringement. “The Principal District and Sessions Judge, Kozhikode has injuncted the producer, director, music composer, Amazon, YouTube, Spotify, Wynk Music, Jiosavan, and others from playing the song Varaaha Roopam in the film Kantara without the permission of Thaikudam Bridge,” reads the band’s post.

    Kantara Plagiarism Row

    For the uninitiated, Kantara became a subject of controversy after Thaikkudam Bridge alleged that the song ‘Varaha Roopam’ is copied from the popular number ‘Navarasa’. The celebrated Indie band’s allegations were backed by many film industry members and music lovers, who declared their support for Thaikkudam Bridge on social media. The makers of Kantara claimed that both songs are similar because they are based on the same raga, but Thaikkudam Bridge refused to accept this clarification. The latest updates confirm that the music band is determined to proceed with legal action. 

    Kantara and its massive success

    The movie, which is written and directed by Rishab Shetty, who has also played the lead role in it, has emerged as one of the biggest successes of Indian cinema in recent times. The actor thriller which is set in the backdrop of the coastal Karnataka region has been receiving immense love from the audiences for its excellent writing, making, and performances. Kantara is now dubbed in all major Indian languages, including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi.

    ALSO READ: Kantara: Rishab Shetty is on cloud nine after meeting Rajinikanth; Pens a heartfelt note

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  • ‘New avenues have opened’: Kantara’s Rishab Shetty on how Kannada films became widely accepted after Yash’s KGF

    ‘New avenues have opened’: Kantara’s Rishab Shetty on how Kannada films became widely accepted after Yash’s KGF

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    Kantara actor and director Rishab Shetty has said that new avenues have opened up after the Yash-starrer KGF franchise became a blockbuster in India and globally.  Shetty pointed out that with KGF becoming such a massive hit, people have started looking at films as being a part of Indian cinema instead of segregating them into Bollywood, Tollywood (Telugu film industry) and Sandalwood (Kannada film industry).

    Shetty said, “After KGF, a new avenue has opened and people have started recognising Indian cinema instead of looking at films as regional and segregating them into Bollywood, Tollywood and Sandalwood. Despite [Kantara] being a regional film, people are watching the film everywhere regardless of.” The star cast of Kantara — Shetty along with Sapthami Gowda — were in conversation with India Today TV‘s Akshita Nandagopal. 

    Co-star Sapthami Gowda, meanwhile, weighed in and said this is a matter of perspective as people are open to watching all kinds of movies as long as the content is good. Citing Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, she said, “It was a Korean movie, it was put out in that language but it still did very well across even our nation… I think we should never let go of our roots and when you bring that out when you bring that essence out, people are connecting.”

    She added that Alia Bhatt’s Gangubai Kathiawadi did really well not only in north India but also down south as audience perspective has changed drastically.

    The actor-director, last seen in the Kannada film Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana, mentioned that he anticipated that people would like the concept of Kantara but did not expect it to become such a raging hit. Talking about what might have clicked with the audiences, Gowda further underscored the film focuses on human and encroachment issues.

    Gowda said, “I think there’s an underlying issue that we’re trying to talk about in the movie, that is you know the human and the encroachment issues but it’s being said in a way that everybody can connect with.” She added Kantara has every element that any other movie has such as humour, love story, conflict, justification behind every character and a beautiful climax.

    Meanwhile, the film is about to release in Malayalam on October 20 and will be distributed by Prithviraj Sukumaran across Kerala. The film released in Hindi today.

    Going further, he said that his latest movie Kantara got 120 shows in Mumbai within two days of release. Shetty noted all this happened due to word of mouth and social media. He added that his film is available in Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir as well and has gotten great response.

    Shetty said, “Kantara was released originally in Kannada and it worked very well. In Mumbai, many Kannadigas took non-Kannadigas to watch the film. After that, people started suggesting the film. I have read many such tweets. It started out with 10 shows here but got 120 shows after 2 days of release. It is screening in Maratha Mandir as well and has gotten great response.”

    Their comments came after Kantara glowing reviews from audiences and critics alike. The film has got a user rating of 9.5 out of 10 on IMDb. One of the users wrote, “Epitome of acting! Chilling experience! It’s a mystical thriller and slice of life……. Top class direction, BGM, cinematography, choreography and touch of spirituality. I watched yesterday night, and the movie’s experience is still with me like [a] hang over and [am] not able to get out of it!!!!!!!!”

    Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh gave the film a four-star rating and a one-word review of “Brilliant.” Adarsh said that the film “mesmerizes you with strong storytelling, superb visuals and fantabulous finale.” He added that this is the one you should absolutely not miss.

    Adarsh further said, “Rishab Shetty deserves distinction marks for two reasons: Superior storytelling+ electrifying act, especially towards penultimate moments… Kantara is a massive success in Karnataka and it won’t be a surprise if this well-made film finds immense patronage in Hindi belt too.”

    Kantara focuses on the tussle between human beings and nature and features Rishab Shetty in a double role. It also features Sapthami Gowda, Achyuth Kumar, Manasi Sudhir, Prakash Thuminad and Pramod Shetty in important roles. The film has been backed by Hombale Films, which also produced the Yash-starrer blockbuster KGF franchise.

    Also read: Rishab Shetty’s Kantara surpasses Yash’s KGF: Chapter 2, SS Rajamouli’s RRR on IMDb 

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