Rishab Shetty’s highly anticipated prequel, ‘Kantara: Chapter 1,’ is already a financial success even before its theatrical release. The film has reportedly recovered its entire budget of ₹125 crore through a single, record-breaking deal for its digital streaming rights.
According to various reports, Amazon Prime Video has acquired the post-theatrical digital rights for a staggering ₹125 crore. This makes it one of the largest OTT deals ever for a Kannada film, second only to the pan-India blockbuster KGF: Chapter 2, another production from the same banner, Hombale Films.
This massive pre-release deal is a testament to the immense hype surrounding the prequel, fueled by the phenomenal success of the original Kantara (2022), which was made on a modest budget of ₹16 crore and went on to gross over ₹400 crore worldwide. The fact that the film has recovered its budget solely from its digital rights deal provides the makers with a significant advantage, as the entire box office collection will contribute directly to profits.
The prequel is set to be a cinematic spectacle, with a much larger scale than the original. The film will delve into the mythological origins of the Bhuta Kola tradition and feature a grand war sequence with over 500 fighters. With its budget secured and a strong distribution plan in place, ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ is poised to be another landmark film for the Kannada film industry.
