Tamil superstar Rajinikanth is the latest celebrity to shower praise on the Kannada film Kantara, which has been garnering praise from many corners since its release on September 30. Taking to Twitter, Rajinikanth wrote, “‘The unknown is more than the known’ -- no one could have said this better in cinema than Hombale Films' 'Kantara'. You gave me 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.”
Kantara is written and directed by Rishab Shetty, who also stars as the lead in the film, and is bankrolled by Hombale Films. While the film has seen massive success at the box office across India and the world, it has run into controversy after allegations of plagiarism and cultural appropriation. On Monday, October 24, popular Kerala band Thaikkudam Bridge issued a statement saying they will take action against the film’s makers for allegedly plagiarising one of their songs. The band alleged that there were “unavoidable similarities” between the song ‘Varaha Roopam’ from Kantara and the band’s intellectual property ‘Navarasam’.
Pointing out that the similarities between the two songs are a blatant infringement of copyright laws, the band said, “We would like our listeners to know that Thaikkudam Bridge is in no way or form affiliated with "Kantara". The unavoidable similarities between our IP "Navarasam" and "Varaha Roopam" in terms of audio is, therefore, a blatant infringement of copyright laws.” The statement added, “From our standpoint, the line between "Inspired" and "Plagiarized" is distinct and indisputable and therefore we will be seeking legal action against the creative team responsible for this.”
“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
— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) October 26, 2022
Kantara is set in a village in Udupi, against the backdrop of a dominant caste landlord grabbing the land of the local tribal community. The story is intertwined with native cultures and rituals practised including the Bhoota Kola tradition. Earlier, the song ‘Varaha Roopam’ had come under fire for depicting Panjurli — a bhoota who takes the form of a boar — as the Hindu god Vishnu’s reincarnation, Varaha. Further, Rishab Shetty courted controversy when he suggested during an interview that the Bhoota Kola tradition of the Dakshina Kannada region is a part of Hindu culture.