After years we heard about a movie that was being praised by critics as well as the masses – Kantara – an unusual name that means a mystical forest in Kannada. In excitement, we checked the trailer on Youtube. The music video of the well-promoted song “Varah Roopam” from the movie was 4 minutes of sheer bliss for eyes and ears. With the exotic Bhut kola dance, the makeup, the cinematography, and the song Varahroopam in the background, we were sold. We searched for the song on Spotify and added it to our playlist, we read more and more about the movie online, Googled up about Rishab Shetty (the lead actor and director of Kantara), and when we couldn’t hold the excitement any longer, we searched for the nearest cinema playing Kantara with English subtitles.
Hindi Dubbed Kantara in Delhi
Luckily (or rather unluckily) many halls including PVR Prashant Vihar, which is very close to our office, were screening Kantara in Hindi. We booked tickets for the next day. Meanwhile, we watched the trailer and song again a few times till the next evening when we went for the movie after work.
The hall was rather empty. Quite expected for a Kannada movie in a cinema hall in North West part of Delhi with mostly Hindi/Punjabi speaking audience. We took it as an indication that this might be some good cinema meant for a niche audience. But we couldn’t be more wrong.
What Did Not Work in Kantara
From the start till the end the movie was a loud, over-the-top unending drama with very little substance. The folklore, the conflict between man and wild, the divide between have-a-lot and have-nots were fine and rather well established in the first half an hour of the movie. After that there was nothing. The movie had so many scenes that were either repetitive or had no connection with the storyline.
The portions where the mother is sick of his good-for-nothing son who’s getting involved in village fights went on and on. Just too many times. We wondered why were we watching the same thing on a loop?
Some village friend of the hero mentioned that he’s learning to ride a bike. The dialogue came again and then we thought a third time too. We felt there must be some connection. But no, nothing. This friend is not seen again in the film. No bike riding… nothing. Why was this a part of the movie? Why make the movie unduly long?
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The film lacks any kind of subtlety. The whole film is so verbose… nothing is left to imagination or interpretation. Everything is being said in so many words, again and again, that you feel like banging your head against the theatre wall. The extra cushioning of the soundproof walls kind of tempted us to actually try that out.
Actor and director Rishab Shetty is almost there in every scene. He’s kept the focus of the film on him to the narcissist level. Be it the mudslinging, slo-mo using (or abusing), let-me-show-you-my-fit-body fight or be it the hundred thousand fight sequences of the film, you almost want a break from this guy even before the first half of the movie gets over.
Thank heavens for the intermission that this crazy ear-numbing-decibel-level film came to a temporary halt. We took a sigh of relief and looked at each other with WTF-was-this look in our eyes. The story did not move much from the first half an hour till the intermission.
Oh did we mention the annoying pinch on the heroine’s midriff, the first time our hero set eyes on the childhood crush who had blossomed into a young woman. I think this was also before the intermission… well who cares. We had given up on this film much before that. And honestly, after watching movies like Kabir Singh (remake of Arjun Reddy – A Telugu superhit) there is no hope from Indian Cinema (Bollywood or South Indian) to not objectify or portray women characters like this. The only difference is that Kabir Singh despite being A MOVIE WITH A VERY WRONG MESSAGE was a delight to watch. Almost like a guilty pleasure. Entertaining, well-directed, well-acted, and with superb music. Nothing that Kantara offered at least till the intermission.
What Worked in Katara
Post intermission the storyline picked up and after a lot of maar dhaad (fight sequences) reached the climax. The climax was beautiful, for sure.
The Bhut kola is being performed and Varah roopam plays in the background and there is pin-drop silence in the hall with the audience at the edge of their seats. The screams, the makeup, the expressions, and the camera work, are all top-notch. This is the best part of the film and is quite spectacular. Too little, too late.
Is it worth your time and money? No way!
The film ends indicating a sequel…
Varah Roopam is Plagiarised
The very next day we were surprised to read in the news that the court has suspended the Varah roopam song part from the Kantara movie. Thaikkudam Bridge – a Kerala-based popular band, we saw performing at The South Side Story festival in Delhi reached the court against the makers of Kantara for plagiarising their song Navarasam as Varah roopam in the film. We watched Navarasam on YouTube and realised the tune, the music is directly lifted from Navarasam. We wonder what would they play in the background of Kantara climax, if not this song. What else is left in the movie if not this song? We also think the storyline was also somehow lifted/inspired from the Navarasa music video. Navarasam by Thaikkudam Bridge is brilliant by the way!! The song as well as the music video. What a lovely example of storytelling through a song.
Kantara for Oscar Entry From India
A section of the media and the audience are rooting for Kantara to be sent for the Oscars. We’ll be heartbroken if they do. Can’t believe as a nation this is the best we have produced this year. But looking at some non-deserving Hollywood films (The shape of water, Parasite, La La Land, Slumdog Millionaire) winning the best picture Oscar in the last few years, we don’t really have much hopes from this award as well.
I think one of the major issues with the film was its duration. The film could have been more impactful if edited better. The film is 30-40 minutes too long. Fight sequences could have been shorter and some of the comedy parts should have been totally removed from the film.
We Want Our Money Back
Overall we were very disappointed with the film. Honestly, we felt cheated. It’s not entertaining and not good quality cinema. The film is packaged well to the extent of being deceptive. Even the good things about the movie like the cinematography, background score, and camera work are used a little too much and they end up overshadowing the narration of the movie.
Kantara is just too Over The Top for our liking. We would not recommend this film to anybody.
You have a poor taste. Women is no where objectified in the movie. It is the heroine who throws the javeline at villain first. Only people who have lived and experienced grass root India can relate to the movie which they actually are doing, not someone sitting in metro breathing AC air every hour. Looks like a cheap paid review of the movie.
I don’t remember the heroin ever asking the hero to come and pinch the midriff. Don’t know how or when that happened. Maybe when I was sleeping out of boredom. If I have not lived in villages that means I would not understand the movie? Is that what you are saying? I have thoroughly enjoyed films like Pather Panchali, Mother India and Naya Daur – set in villages of India. What great cinema.
About this being a cheap paid review I would be happy just to get my ticket, and soda money back.
LoL, you deserve movies like “Thank God” and “Middle class love”. You don’t want comedy, you don’t want the hero’s presence, you don’t want screams, looks like you came to do something else in the cinema hall. I am a malayali musician, Navarasam is also plagiarised from a carnatic raga called thodi. All of us know that this case is done on political grounds only and that the case will be dropped as soon as some money is thrown. It’s too much too expect from a low brained person drinking black water falling for free electricity.
Stick to swimming in frothy Yamuna river, duffer.
A good movie is a good movie is a good movie. Kantara is anything but a good movie. It’s just a well packaged, loud, annoying, torturous film. Looks like you drink black frothy water the way you are spewing it out in your language. You assume everyone to like what you like. I don’t know the ragas but If Navarasam is plagiarized, how does that make Varah roopam’s plagiarism Ok.
You have a very poor taste is all I can say 😀
I honestly loved Kantara. It is the only regional movie I have seen twice in the theatre. Perhaps I related more because I understand the culture here and have seen similar god acts and possessions even though the movie is about demigods.
We will exchange notes when we meet.
Bang on Delhi Fundos…You just vented out every feeling I went through when watching this overhyped movie called Kantara.
It’s 2 hours of complete boredum consoled by 15 mins of climax…
man..what a scam it was 🙂
Haha – you put it so well!
I watched kantara on Netflix. I won’t say I disliked it but I wouldn’t say that I liked it as well..
You title was surprising for me but your thoughts were similar to mine. Thank God.
Hoping for more movie reviews from u because u nail it.
Thanks, so inspiring!
Somehow I feel these South Indian remakes are overtly loud. I never go for these dubbed versions. Anyways your office is near PVR Prashant Vihar. Wow! Lucky you!
Good for you !