Rishab Shetty’s Kantara to stream on OTT from November 24: Details

Over-the-top (OTT) platform Amazon Prime Video announced on Wednesday, November 23 that the hit Kannada movie Kantara will be streaming on the platform from November 24. Produced under the banner of Hombale Films by Vijay Kiragandur, the action-adventure is written and directed by Rishab Shetty, who also acts in the movie alongside Sapthami Gowda, Kishore Kumar G and Achyuth Kumar in the pivotal roles.

The film had a massive run at the box office. Following its initial release on September 30 in Kannada, Kantara was also released in other languages like Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Malayalam. The story of Kantara is set in the woodlands of Kaadubettu, in the southern state of Karnataka. It follows a Kambala champion, played by Rishabh Shetty, who locks horns with an upright Range Forest officer, Murali (Kishore), and the 'upper' caste landlord. 

Read: ‘I believe a filmmaker should have social responsibility’: Kantara actor Kishore to TNM

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Speaking about the response to Kantara, the film’s writer, director and lead actor Rishab said in a press statement on Wednesday, “Audiences from all corners of the country have showered immense love on Kantara. It is a story that has universal appeal, but the plot’s local flavor will keep viewers intrigued until the very end!"

Producer Vijay Kiragandur said in the statement that Hombale Films, which also bankrolled the hit KGF franchise, is always on the lookout for engaging stories. “At Hombale Films, we are always looking at telling engaging tales in an extraordinary yet relatable manner. Kantara is yet another film by us that has touched the hearts of audiences from varied regions and backgrounds,” he said.

The makers of the film courted controversy when Kerala-based indie music band Thaikkudam Bridge filed a plagiarism suit against the makers of the film, alleging that there were “unavoidable similarities” between a track from the film titled ‘Varaha Roopam’ and the band’s intellectual property (IP) ‘Navarasam’. The song was deleted from streaming platform YouTube following injunction orders released by two courts in Kerala.

Read: ‘Varaha Roopam’ not based on same set of ragas as ‘Navarasam’, says Sai Vignesh

Kantara row: A look at six songs that stood trial over copyright violations in India

The film had also led to a discussion over appropriation of non-Hindu cultures in the film through its representation of Bhoota Kola. Set against the backdrop of a dominant caste landlord grabbing the land of the local tribal community, Kantara depicts native cultures and rituals from coastal Karnataka such as Yakshagana, Bhoota Kola, Daivaradhane and Kambala.

Read: With Kantara’s success, the world has appropriated Bhootha Kola as its own