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Fans call Rishab Shetty's Kantara Chapter 1 trailer ‘underwhelming’ and ‘dull’ compared to first film

The trailer of Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 was dropped on Monday morning. Here's what fans thought of the film directed by and starring Rishab Shetty. 

Published on: Sep 22, 2025, 16:55:41 IST
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The trailer for Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 was released on Monday morning. The prequel to the 2022 film Kantara seems to delve deeper into the folklore explored in the first film, if the trailer is anything to go by. While fans admit that the trailer looked stunning, they seem split about the film ahead of its release on 2 October. Here’s what they said. (Also Read: Kantara Chapter 1 trailer: Rishab Shetty film takes a deeper look at the folklore. Watch)

Rishab Shetty plays the lead in and directs Kantara Chapter 1, a prequel to the 2022 film Kantara.
Rishab Shetty plays the lead in and directs Kantara Chapter 1, a prequel to the 2022 film Kantara.

Fans call Kantara Chapter 1 trailer ‘underwhelming’

After the release of Kantara Chapter 1 trailer, fans of the first film took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their review. One wrote, “Compared to Kantara trailer #KantaraChapter1 Trailer looks dull. It's maybe because we expected a lot or maybe they lacked in editing, i expected some high moments with fantastic BGM. We believe in your work @shetty_rishab #KantaraChapter1Trailer.”

Another called it underwhelming, claiming that they felt it didn’t live up to the ‘magic of Kantara’. They wrote, “After watching the trailer, only one word comes to mind.. UNDERWHELMING. Expectations were high, but this doesn’t live up to the magic of #Kantara (2022). The spark, the divinity, the uniqueness.. all missing. What we see instead is just a regular period drama: a tyrant king, a savior hero and a love story. Feels like a forced sequel/prequel rather than a worthy continuation.”

One called the trailer ‘average’, despite thinking the visuals look rich, writing, “Average trailer tbh. Scale is massive & visuals look rich, but the cut lacks the wow factor. The premise seems straightforward, but it felt like Rishab is trying to fit in a lot which might backfire. Devotional elements look well handled though. Expected better. #KantaraChapter1.” Another seemed to agree, “Some frames look absolutely RICH in quality… but the trailer cut felt underwhelming, missing that one big high moment. The story too looks kind of generic, though hopefully it still has surprises in store.”

Kantara Chapter 1 story

While Kantara delved into the legends of Bhuta Kola and Panjurli, a boar spirit, it looks like the prequel, Kantara Chapter 1, will explore further folklore. One X user decoded the trailer and wrote, “Rishabh Shetty Through Kantara Chapter I Trailer Has Revealed Deities Panjurli & Guliga. The Story Revolves Around Sinkhole Where Deity Guliga Of Kantara Resides. The Stone Shown Is Deity Panjurli & Avatar Of Shiva Could Be Guliga Spirit.”

Another criticised that while Rishab’s character is named Bermer, the trailer seems not to explore the legend properly, writing, “Tulunad is created by Bermer as per Tulu tribal Sandhi-Pardhanas (folklore). But making Berme itself as the fictional character without properly referring the Sandhi-Pardhana? How far it’s right?” For the unversed, Bermer is an ancient deity often depicted as a warrior on horseback with a sword in hand.

Kantara Chapter 1 is directed by Rishab and stars him in the lead role. Gulshan Devaiah, Rukmini Vasanth, and Jayaram also play key roles in the film that will be released in Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali, and English.

  • Neeshita Nyayapati
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Neeshita Nyayapati

    Despite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.Read More

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