Kantara X review: Rishab Shetty dazzles, but story leaves fans divided

Rishab Shetty's Kantara Chapter 1 opens to a storm of mixed reactions-audiences praise its grand visuals and powerful performances, but many feel the weak storyline holds it back

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Kantara: Chapter 1 X Review: Rishab Shetty’s highly anticipated Kantara Chapter 1 has finally hit theatres, sparking a storm of reactions online. Twitter is flooded with polarising opinions—while some viewers hail it as a visual spectacle and a cinematic triumph, others dismiss it as overhyped and underwhelming. Early reviews paint a divided picture: breathtaking visuals on one side, a faltering narrative on the other.

 

With the Dussehra and Gandhi Jayanti celebrations, Rishab Shetty's admirers may finally relax. Kantara Chapter 1 is a prequel to the 2022 blockbuster Kantara, which earned over ₹400 crore at the box office and was written and directed by Rishab Shetty. 

 

In Kantara Chapter 1, Rishab Shetty plays the lead in a story that takes place centuries before the events of the original Kantara. The film investigates how the mysteries shown in the previous movie came to be. Jayaram, Gulshan Devaiah, and Rukmini Vasanth are also featured. 

Kantara Chapter 1 X (Twitter) review: Fans' mixed reactions 

Many appreciated Rishab’s performance, while many posts called the climax sequence the true highlight, describing it as “goosebump-inducing”.

 

One fan mentioned, “#KantaraChapter1 – RishabShetty TopNotch Perf, esp Climax 20Mins. Rukmini gets a solid role. The backbone of the film is Ajaneesh’s BGM. Great Prodn Values. Avg directionless 1st Hlf with Flat Comedy & Emotions. Good 2nd Half. Intrvl Fight, Guliga Seq & Climax r Fantastic. WORTH a Watch”.

 

“#KantaraChapter1: SURESHOT B-L-O-C-K-B-U-S-T-E-R… A never-seen Crazy 30 Mins of Extended Climax Block. #RishabShetty’s intense acting + #RukminiVasanth’s charm = pure magic! The first half dazzles with grand visuals & massive VFX. A storytelling masterpiece meant for big screens. Don’t miss this cinematic wonder!” wrote another fan on X.

 

Another user stated, “#KantaraChapter1Review - 4/5, #RishabShetty Intense Performance #RukminiVasanth Glamour… Very Grand Technical VFX. It’s massive storytelling through cinema, must watch at theatres.”

 

Many others had different opinions about the film, with one writing – “No story, no songs, no thrill, no strong villain, Peak over-acting, Too many useless characters. High hyped with poor content. My review – 0/5. Don’t watch in the theatre.”

 

“#Kantara full movie boring waste time just climax hit @shetty_rishab acting average and Rukmini Vasanth acting super. 1 Kantara 2022 >>>>>>>>>> 10 Kantara 2025”, one more fan expressed his reaction. 

Kantara Chapter 1 cast and plot

A 2025 prequel to the popular 2022 movie, Kantara, Kantara: Chapter 1 delves into the mythical origin of the battle for holy territory. The film, written and directed by Rishab Shetty, explores the mythology of the Daiva tradition, as well as the conflicts that existed in pre-colonial coastal Karnataka between tribes and a powerful royal family. The cast consists of:

 

• Rishab Shetty as Berme

• Jayaram as King Vijayendra

• Rukmini Vasanth as Kanakavathi

• Gulshan Devaiah as Kulashekara

• Other key cast members include Rakesh Poojari, Pramod Shetty, and Prakash Thuminad.