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'Kantara: Chapter 1' Empowers Women in Rishab Shetty's Captivating Mythological Prequel
14 Oct
Summary
- Rishab Shetty's 'Kantara: Chapter 1' flips the gender narrative from the original film
- Women become the real source of strength, happiness, and conflict in the prequel
- Goddess Chamundi takes over the protagonist, defeating evil with divine feminine power
According to the article, Rishab Shetty's 'Kantara: Chapter 1', the prequel to his 2022 film 'Kantara', represents a significant shift in the gender dynamics of his cinematic universe. While the original film was criticized for its insensitive portrayal of women, the prequel flips the script, placing female characters at the center of the story.
In 'Kantara: Chapter 1', Shetty plays Berme, the ancestor of the protagonist from the first film. This time, the women in Berme's life define his world - from his mother, who raises him and teaches him about the deities, to the princess Kanakvathi, who becomes his greatest nemesis. The article highlights how Shetty has made his female characters smart, spiritual, commanding, and complex, no longer serving as mere props in the narrative.
The most striking moment comes in the climax, when the possessed Berme faces off against Kanakvathi. When she taunts him, saying he cannot strike a woman, Berme channels the divine feminine, and the goddess Chamundi takes over, transforming him and defeating the evil. This breathtaking sequence combines faith, gender, and power in a poetic frame, showcasing Shetty's evolution as a filmmaker.
The article suggests that with 'Kantara: Chapter 1', Shetty has set a new benchmark, restoring harmony in cinema and celebrating balance over dominance. His world of 'Kantara' now seems to be embracing equality with myth and folklore, a significant departure from the original film's portrayal.
