With the highly anticipated prequel Kantara Chapter 1 just days away from its pan-India release, its director and star, Rishab Shetty, finds himself navigating a brewing storm. What started as a promotional event in Hyderabad quickly turned controversial, prompting boycott calls and leaving the filmmaker to wrestle with a tricky question: how do you honour a nation of diverse languages without offending anyone?
The issue began when Shetty, at a event attended by Telugu superstar Jr. NTR, chose to speak only in his native Kannada. This decision disappointed many Telugu-speaking fans, who took to social media to voice their frustration, eventually trending the hashtag #BoycottKantaraChapter1. In an effort to allay the resentment and bring people together before the movie’s premiere, Shetty has now spoken out.
Who is Rishab Shetty and What is the Kantara Buzz?
Rishab Shetty is the visionary filmmaker behind the cinematic phenomenon Kantara. The original 2022 film was a critically and commercially successful masterpiece that began in Kannada cinema and grew into a national sensation.The franchise, which is firmly anchored in Karnataka culture, folklore, and coastal customs, is directed, written, and starred Shetty.
The Kadamba era is the setting for the new prequel Kantara Chapter 1, which highlights the region’s architectural and cultural heyday. It has one of the biggest action scenes in Indian cinema, with more than 3,000 people and 500 warriors. Being a multilingual, pan-India release, there is a great deal of pressure to appeal to a wide range of viewers nationwide.
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What Exactly Sparked the #BoycottKantara Controversy?
At the Hyderabad event, even with Jr. NTR and mostly Telugu fans in the audience, Rishab Shetty spoke his entire segment in Kannada. Even if translations were there, some fans felt it was disrespectful not to try the local language.
This feeling of being overlooked quickly translated into online anger, with the #BoycottKantaraChapter1 hashtag gaining traction. Days before its October 2nd worldwide release, such a movement constituted a serious threat to a movie that depends on pan-India box office success.
How Has Rishab Shetty Responded to the Backlash?
Rishab Shetty has addressed the issue directly and diplomatically. At a subsequent pre-release event in Vijaywada, he made a heartfelt appeal for unity. “Telugu people and Kannada people are brothers,” he stated, before making a concrete promise to the audience. “Next time I come for #JaiHanuman promotions, I will speak in proper Telugu.” He also confirmed that he is currently learning the language.
Earlier, during a Hindi pre-release event, he offered a more detailed explanation of his philosophy. He compared his love of Kannada to his admiration for other Indian languages, expressing his profound regard for them. Although he acknowledged the inherent difficulty, he clarified that his attempt to speak the local tongue is an act of respect: “Speaking one language in one region might seem like I’m ignoring others.”
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What Does This Mean for the Film’s Pan-India Release?
The controversy highlights the delicate tightrope walk that creators must perform in a multilingual market like India. A regional film’s heart might stay local, but success demands a national welcome. Rishab Shetty’s response—highlighting unity, humility, and a promise to improve—looks like a deliberate attempt to repair relations.
