Kantara, Chapter 1, press meet: A Legend at Land’s End

A young man worked in Andheri West, Mumbai as an office boy, and, later, as a driver, in 2008. More recently, he started making films, in his home state, Karnataka. He spent 250 days of the last 3 years shooting a film, which is a prequel to a blockbuster he made, released in 2022. A writer, director and actor, he camped in a place called Kundapur, near Mangalore, Karnataka, with his wife, the costume designer, and their 10-month old child. The film was shot on location, in Kundapur, sometimes spelt Kundapura, where Rishab had begun his theatre acting journey, doing ‘yakshagana’ plays. The entire unit of the film followed suit, everybody bringing along their families. By the time the shooting got over, his son had started going to school. The 2022 film was called Kantara, and the successor, a prequel, goes by the moniker, Kantara, A Legend. On 29th September, he came down to Mumbai, with key members of his unit, for a press meet, and hosted a cocktails and dinner, at a hotel named Taj Land’s End. This is the success story of Prsashanth Shetty, who uses the screen name of Rishab Shetty.

Although it was a press meet, the unit did not actually meet the press. The compère posed questions, and the galaxy on the stage gave answers. Some of the responses were very short, like those of the heroine, Rukmini Vasanth, or ad infinitum, like those of the man of the moment, Rishab Shetty. Shetty sported a beard, a large bun of hair at the back of his neck and wore spectacles. Also present on stage were producer Chaluve Gowda, Rishab’s wife, Pragathi, and, surprise…surprise, the Hindi version distributor, reclusive Anil Thadani. Kantara, A Legend, is Chapter 1 of the franchise, pre-dating the events captured in Kantara 2022, by several hundred years. Confessed Rishab, “Kantara was set in the 16th and 17th century. But I felt there was more to say about the same theme, and, instead of going forward, I turned backwards. In the process, I went much farther than I had initially planned to go.” Another surprise was the use of Hindustani by Shetty and Rukmini while answering questions. Rukmini, in particular, even pronounced Urdu words perfectly. Obviously, she had done her homework, which must have included Urdu tuition. 28 year-old Rukmini obtained an acting degree from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in Bloomsbury, London and made her acting debut in 2019.

Everybody said how wonderful it was, making the film and working in the film. Pragathi revealed that Rishab eats, drinks and breathes cinema. “He promised me some quality time together, after Kantara was released, but that never happened, because almost immediately afterwards, he plunged into the prequel. He has promised that he will now make-up for the lost time now.” Rishab said that he should not be perceived only as a maker of mythological action spectaculars. “A film I made in 2018 dealt with the language teaching conflict in schools located in the border area between Karnataka and Kerala, a battle between Kannada and Malayalam.” Though he did not mention the name of the film, it was titled Sarkaari Hiriya Praathamika Shaale, Kaasaragodu, Kodugé: Raamanna Rai. Being such a mouthful, no wonder Rishab refrained from naming it. Translated into English, the tile reads Government Higher Primary School, Kasaragodu, Donated by: Raamanna Rai. This was his third film as director. The fourth was to make box-office history, and was titled Kantara. “It was the time of Covid. In barely two minutes, I narrated the plot to producer Vijay Kiragandur, of Hombale Films, and he wa

The Golden Prague International Television Festival has announced its top honours. At a ceremony held Thursday evening in the Sladkovský Hall of Prague’s Municipal House, the Grand Prix was awarded to the French film Dance Through the Seasons (Les saisons de la danse), directed by Tommy Pascal. The jury was captivated by its visually stunning sequences featuring four couples dancing in natural landscapes to Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, reimagined by composer Max Richter. The Award for Outstanding Artistic Contribution went to German film producer and distributor Jan Mojto, who was born in Nitra, Slovakia.

The winners of the Grand Prix, the three Czech Crystals, and the recipient of the Special Mention were selected by an international five-member jury chaired by Elmar Kruse, German media executive and owner of the music company C Major Entertainment.

"I was, as every year, pleasantly surprised by the high quality of the submitted films, and the jury certainly didn’t have an easy task," said Festival Director and Executive Director of ČT art, Tomáš Motl. He added: "I’m glad the jury ultimately chose works that combine strong aesthetic value with accessibility for television audiences. I believe this is the best way to bring the worlds of ballet, theatre, and classical music closer to as many people as possible."

The Czech Crystal in the category Recordings of Music Concerts was awarded to the French film Ravel in a Thousand Lights (Ravel en mille éclats) by directors François-René Martin and Gordon Martin, who vividly illustrate the life of composer Maurice Ravel in their 80-minute piece.
The Czech Crystal in the category Documentaries on Music, Dance and Theatre went to the German film Anastasia Kobekina – Now or Never!, a portrait of the promising cellist Anastasia Kobekina. Directors Grete Liffers and Sophie-Caroline Danner followed Anastasia closely through the glitter and the doubts, between daily life and an emerging career. 

The third Czech Crystal, in the category Recordings of Stage Performances, was awarded to the Austrian film The Gambler, directed by Peter Sellars. His adaptation of Dostoevsky’s classic combines a distinctive visual style with the vocal and dramatic artistry of singers Asmik Grigorian and Sean Panikkar.

The Czech Television Award was presented to the Austrian documentary A Theatre for a Symphony, directed by Barbara Weissenbeck. The film was recognised not only for its content, but also for its use of cutting-edge digital technologies to virtually reconstruct the long-lost Kärntnertortheater in Vienna, where Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony had its world premiere in 1824. It offers today’s viewers a compelling and authentic glimpse into what that historic first performance may have sounded and looked like.

The French film Afanador, directed by Isabelle Julien, received a Special Mention for Outstanding Artistic Achievement. Inspired by the stunning photography of Colombian photographer Ruven Afanador, the film vividly conveys the energy, passion, fire, and musical force of flame

Mirai, Review: Rod of the Rings v/s Sword of the Rings

If this film makes good money, the makers can rue over the fact that the plot took off when the villain was trying to get possession of the seventh book of scriptures, out of nine, which would impart magic and, ultimately, godliness and immortality, and ended with his attempt at acquiring the ninth and last one. Well, they could have made nine films instead of one, and earned nine times over. Mirai is another instalment in what is now an open franchise. Pick any period, from the times of Lord Rama, or even earlier, to any time in the present, or future, and unleash mayhem and gore of the most extreme kind. Lord Rama is said to have lived in the ancient Treta Yug, a mythological period in Hindu cosmology that predates the current Kali Yug (or Kalyug) by millions of years. However, some modern interpretations and claims, based on astronomical data or specific genealogies, place his birth around 5114 BCE (courtesy AI).

Mirai begins with the Battle of Kalinga, a brutal war, fought around 261 BCE, between the Mauryan Empire, led by Emperor Ashoka, and the independent kingdom of Kalinga (present-day Odisha). Ashoka won the battle, but the immense death toll, estimated at over 100,000 lives, profoundly affected him. This devastating loss caused Ashoka to abandon his policy of military conquest, embrace Buddhism, and, instead, promote a path of peace and righteousness. Mirai tells you that Ashoka won this war with the help of divine strength. Having turned to non-violence, he did not know what to do with his divine gifts, so he split them into nine tomes. These king-size volumes were hidden in various places, in India and other countries, including Morocco and Japan, and caretakers were appointed, who protected them, beginning 261 BCE, to 2024, from falling into the wrong hand(s). They were safe in their hidden locations, for 75 to 105 generations. But, in 2024, a man, who was evil personified, decided to gain possession of them, and use them for himself. Now, if you suspend your disbelief and accept this as a credible beginning, you will lap-up the rest of the plot quite easily.

There are too many characters in Mirai, which is a pre-requisite in any mythological or super-hero film, many of them in similar attire and get-up, as sadhus. So, it is difficult to remember their names. However, these are some of the key players. There is a pregnant woman named Ambika, who, in the year 2000, gets a divine revelation that the villain, after acquiring the other 8, will come to steal the 9th scripture, which is hidden in India. We are not told anything about her background and who is the father of her child she is carrying. However, she is told by some priests that her yet-to-be born son will stop the run of the villain, 24 years later. But she will have to let him go his way till then, and give her own life as well, immediately after birth, in order to protect an entire community from turning into stone, thanks to a teenage villain’s guile.

Her son is the hero, Veda, who is born in Varanasi, grows-up as a vagabond and is guided by shooting stars, which show him where to head next, from Kolkata to Hyderabad. He has two hangers-on as friends, and leads the life of a Robin Hood, saving innocents and punishing criminals. His extremist ways attract the attention of the police, who start following him. For many a year, he is unaware of being the chosen one, and one day, destiny will lead him to a charmed rod, Mirai, which will turn into a powerful weapon in his hands. ‘Destiny’ chases him in the shape of Vibha, a mysterious woman, whose mission is to convince Veda about his divine status and lead him to the rod. Veda falls in love with Vibha, and, after some misgivings, agrees to follow her instructions.

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