Following Kantara's success, Karnataka govt announces allowances for Daiva Narthakas depicted in the film

Following Kantara's success, the Karnataka government has announced an allowance for all the senior Daiva Narthakas in the state. The Narthakas and the Bhoota Kola tradition is central to the film and popularised by it.

Rishab Shetty’s Kannada film Kantara isn’t just minting money at the box office, but also making some cultural and socio-political impact in its home state. The film, which revolved around the traditions of Daiva Narthakas in coastal Karnataka, has brought the practice into prominence. On Thursday, the state government announced allowances for all narthakas over the age of 60 in the state.

A Daiva Narthaka in a still from Rishab Shetty's Kantara.

Kantara, directed by Rishab Shetty, fouses on one village in coastal Karnataka and how the Daiva Narthaka tale of the land is woven into the man-nature conflict of the region. The film has made over ₹170 crore at the box office globally and brought the Daiva and Guliga practice to mainstream. The Daiva Narthakas, as shown in the film, are very much part of the religious and cultural footprint of coastal Karnataka.

On Thursday, Bengaluru MP PC Mohan tweeted that the Karnataka state government has announced ₹2,000 monthly allowance for Daiva Narthakas above 60 years of age. “Adoring Daivas, dance, and divine intervention. The BJP-led #Karnataka government has announced a ₹2,000 monthly allowance for ‘Daiva Narthakas’ above 60 years of age. Bhoota Kola, a spirit worship ritual depicted in the movie #Kantara is part of Hindu Dharma,” his tweet read. The MP also tagged Rishab in his tweet and shared a poster of the film that features a Daiva Narthaka.

Fans appreciated the move and called it a victory for the film. One tweeted, “People ask what u gave to the society through the cinema. Come check this, here is the answer.” Another fan wrote, “To start with. Amount is not so imp.. Gesture is! Contribution of #artistic_creativity in d nation's cultural/spiritual growth needs to be accorded recognition!” Many others urged the government to increase the amount.

Kantara was released in Kannada on September 30. Last week, its dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, also released with the Malayalam version set to release this week. The film is already the third-highest-grossing Kannada film of all time, behind only the two KGF films.