veena M

My first glimpse of Kanthara was "Singara Siriye" song which I accidently watched on YouTube. I thought it would just be some village romance with oppression of the feudal landlords and some mass dialogues and fights. A recipe for a commercial movie. Then started the flurry of reviews and praises for Kanthara. I kind of got intrigued to go and watch the movie. I went with an open mind. I felt there wasn’t anytjing worthy of praise apart from the performance of Rishab Shetty, Saptami, Kishore and Achyuth Kumar and a few scenes at the beginning of the movie.. It is a rustic tribal story written and directed by Rishab Shetty. Though the story felt familiar, people who watched Rangasthalam[Telugu] may agree with me, the music and background score has given the story a much needed push. The Kola and buffalo race at the beginning of the movie sets a fast pace to the movie while it lulls a bit towards the mid-movie break and then takes off again during the climax. As a protagonist, Rishab Shetty brings his character on with dazzling energy. He is portrayed as a bullish young man who while fighting his own demons and nightmares, also acts as a protector of his village and the ancestral land and not to mention he is also a destroyer of evil forces. As his screen name suggests, Shiva the protector and the destroyer. While he is very loyal to the feudal landlord for major part of the movie, he will see the man for what he is later on and that’s when the movie takes a 360 degree turn. While 80 percent of the story seems like any other normal story, the climax is what will stay with you and you will not be able to detach from it so soon. Though it is a good versus evil confrontation, the mesmerizing performance of Rishab Shetty, the background score, the cinematography takes it to the next level. Mind you, this is what is going to stay with you for a long time to come. The climax gives you goose-bumps at the very least. The cinematography is impeccable and the scenes from buffalo race, festivities, and Kola need special mention. The background score complements the story and cinematography. Worth watching in the theatres. My score is a 4/5.