Kantara prequel in the works, will be out by 2024: Actor-director Rishab Shetty

Kannada actor and director Rishab Shetty officially announced the prequel to his hit 2022 film Kantara. The announcement was made during a function in Bengaluru to celebrate 100 days of Kantara in theatres on Monday, February 6. The Kannada film Kantara, which was set in a village in Udupi and portrays cultural practices of the Dakshina Kannada region, garnered much praise since its release on September 30 last year. 

"We are very pleased and thankful to the audience who had shown immense love and support to Kantara and taking the journey ahead, with the blessing of almighty Daiva the film has successfully completed 100 days. I would like to take this opportunity to announce the prequel of Kantara,” Rishab said.  "What you have seen is actually Part 2 — Part 1 will come next year. The idea flashed into my mind while I was shooting for Kantara because its history has more depth to it. Currently, as far as the writing is concerned we are in the middle of digging into more details," he added. The writer-director, who also stars in the franchise, said the team is currently researching for the prequel and won't he won't be able to share any plot details.

Vijay Kiragandur, the founder of Hombale Films which bankrolled Kantara, said they are working hard to present a story which is "more massive and grand than before". "Kantara introduced the audience to a new cinema altogether and we would love to sustain and in fact boost the popularity that the film has created among the audience on the screens by announcing the sequel, as the film has now completed its 100 days,” he said.

"Rishab and our team have been working on the story rigorously as the film has many more things to tell to the audience while opening the back story of Kantara and we can just guarantee that the sequel of Kantara is going to be more massive and grand than before," Kiragandur said.