The red carpet was rolled out and every seat filled last night at the sold-out London Premiere of Kantara A Legend: Chapter 1, marking a triumphant UK debut for one of this year’s most eagerly awaited releases from India.
The Grand Premiere, at Cineworld, was attended by the most celebrated woman in Karnataka, Ms Ashwini Puneeth Kumar, wife of the late actor Puneeth Kumar and known philanthropist Ms Asha Patil who travelled from India especially for the London Premiere. They entered to the sound of drums and were honoured by Mr Sunil Kumar Ramachandra and Shashidhara Ramachandra, directors of Laughing Water Entertainment. The event brought together the South Asian diaspora and particularly the UK Kannada community who expressed their pride and joy in the Kantara series receiving a global stage with such acclaim and praise.
The event highlights included a Kathakali dancer wearing a traditional vibrant costume, Indian drum performers, a London taxi featuring the film’s poster and audiences were treated to personalised barfi and goody bags.
Written, directed by and starring Rishab Shetty with Rukhmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah and Jayaram in prominent roles, the film transports audiences to the 4th Century AD exploring the sacred origins of the mystical land called Kantara and of Kaadubettu Shiva during the Kadamba dynasty era. This chapter delves deeper into the mythology, conflicts and divine interventions that shaped the events of the first film, offering an even richer and more immersive cinematic experience with breathtaking action and soul-stirring music.
Ms Ashwini Puneeth Kumar gave us her feedback after the film, “It exceeded my expectations. I think it’s just brilliant. Rishab’s performance was extraordinary. The action sequences and visuals were fantastic. Thanks to Hombale Productions for giving us such a great movie.”
The 2022 film Kantara achieved worldwide critical and commercial acclaim, securing multiple accolades and capturing audiences globally. Among its honours were the prestigious National Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Actor. With a staggering 10 billion global views and more than 700 million online mentions, Kantara became a digital sensation. Building on this momentum, the launch of Chapter 1 has already established itself as a digital phenomenon, garnering widespread support from across the South Asian film industry and beyond. The unprecedented digital engagement surrounding Kantara highlights the power of compelling storytelling to transcend borders, transforming the film into not just cinema, but a cultural and digital movement.
Produced by Homebale Films and distributed in the UK by Laughing Water Entertainment, Kantara A Legend: Chapter 1 is available to watch now in seven different languages and in over 100 cinemas UK wide.
