New super-exciting announcement on Kantara 2 - an auspicious start for Rishab Shetty and team!

Blockbuster Kannada production banner Hombale Films on Wednesday, March 22, announced on the auspicious occasion of Ugadi that the writing works for Kantara 2 have begun. Revealed earlier to be a prequel to the nationwide box office hit, Kantara, the upcoming venture will see Kannada actor Rishab Shetty returning as the director, with the story set to explore the backstory of the folklore that was featured in the original 2021 film. Hombale Films tweeted, "On this auspicious occasion of Ugadi & New Year, we are delighted to announce that the writing for the second part of #Kantara has begun. We can't wait to bring you another captivating story that showcases our relationship with nature. Stay tuned for more updates."

Produced by Vijay Kiragandur's Hombale Films banner, Kantara released last year saw Rishab Shetty playing the lead role apart from directing and writing the screenplay. The film's story revolved around a group of villagers, whose land is under a local deity's protection, but is attempted to be seized by the forestry department for the government. Kantara 2 will dive into the backstory of the deity and a pact that was set with a troubled king, who would offer protection to the villagers and their natural surroundings. Speaking to Deadline sometime back, Vijay Kiragandur said, "He (Rishabh) plans to start shooting in June, as a portion of the shoot requires the rainy season, and our intention is to give the film a pan-India release in April or May next year."

Kantara 2 will see Rishab Shetty once again sharing screen space with actors Sapthami Gowda and Kishore, with B. Ajaneesh Loknath once again coming on board as the music director. Released in September last year, Kantara went on to collect more than 400 crores at the box office and has earned the distinction of being one of the highest-grossing Kannada films to date. The film had come out as a pan-Indian venture in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam languages, and gained widespread popularity after it premiered on Amazon Prime Video after its theatrical outing.