Kantara (2022)

In search of stories different from the ones I have been exposed to, I landed on ‘Kantara’. I had read that it featured the ‘Kambala’ – an annual buffalo race held in Tulu Nadu, Karnataka – and that the movie was high grossing. I was eager to know more about the buffalo race, and decided to watch the original Kannada version with English subtitles – I am happy when I can understand some words from other languages, and the music seems more relatable too.

The movie offered much more. I got to know about ‘Buta Kola’, the ritualistic dance performance similar to ‘Theyyam’ of Kerala, the Varaha Avathar (Panjurli Daiva) and Guliga Daiva, how young boys are initiated into the dance performance, and the role it plays in mediating disputes in villages. I first read about ‘Theyyam’ in ‘Nine Lives’ by William Dalrymple, and know about the role of caste in these dance performances. The movie touched upon casteism – the landlord asks for the house to be ‘purified’ after the Kambala athlete touches him.

I loved how the story focused on an upright forest officer who is tasked with converting villagers’ land into a forest reserve, and how the villagers react to this. Morals and loyalty are questioned more than once, and the story’s love angle is the one between the Kambala athlete and a lady forest guard who hails from the same community. The love angle is set in 1990s – more than 30 years from today – and the intersectionality of patriarchy and casteism can be seen. The long-suffering wife of the landlord could have been given some more dialogues.

After seeing the depiction of widespread consumption of alcohol among male characters, I read that the earlier Karnataka government (2023 elections are done!) considered lowering the legal age of alcohol consumption from 21 to 18. I will look up alcohol consumption patterns sometime.

A sequel is expected, and I hope to watch that too.