Sandeep Reddy Vanga hails Rishab Shetty’s 'Kantara: Chapter 1' as a ‘masterpiece'

New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga, best known for “Arjun Reddy” and “Animal”, on Friday showered praise on Rishab Shetty’s newly released film “Kantara: Chapter 1”, calling it a “masterpiece” and a one-man show by the Kannada star.

The movie is a prequel to Shetty’s 2022 blockbuster “Kantara”, which became a cultural phenomenon for its rooted storytelling, exploration of folklore and divine traditions of coastal Karnataka, and went on to become one of the highest-grossing Kannada films of all time.

In a post on X, Vanga praised Shetty’s performance and the film’s impact on Indian cinema.

“‘KANTARA Chapter 1’ is a true masterpiece. Indian cinema has never seen anything like this before. It’s a cinematic thunderstorm, raw, divine, and unshakable. Rishab Shetty delivers a true one-man show, crafted and carried single-handedly @shetty_rishab. Special mention to the BGM by @AJANEESHB,” he wrote.

Shetty responded to the compliment with gratitude, replying: “Thank you brother.” The actor-director, who has also written the film, also spoke about the overwhelming response from audiences.

“From struggling to get one evening show in 2016 to 5000+ housefull shows in 2025. This journey is nothing but your love, support, and God’s grace. Forever grateful to every single person who made this possible,” he said.

Set in pre-colonial Karnataka during the reign of the Kadambas from Banavasi, “Kantara: Chapter 1” depicts the conflict between the tribals of the Kantara forest and a tyrannical king.

Shetty, who directed, wrote and headlined the prequel, had earlier won the National Film Award for Best Actor as well as Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment for “Kantara”.

“Kantara: Chapter 1” released in theatres on Thursday in multiple languages, including Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali and English. PTI SMR SMR RB