<p>Rishab Shetty's period action thriller <em>Kantara </em>is set to be turned into a franchise, the movie's producers confirmed on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Written and directed by Shetty, the hit Kannada film received an overwhelming response upon its release in theatres on September 30.</p>.<p>Reportedly mounted on a meagre budget of Rs 16 crore, the movie has earned over Rs 500 crore worldwide at the box office.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/panorama/kantara-caught-in-cultural-crossfire-1160576.html" target="_blank">Kantara: Caught in cultural crossfire</a></strong></p>.<p>Vijay Kiragandur, co-founder of Hombale Films, said the banner is ecstatic with the response to <em>Kantara </em>and the company will soon start developing "either a prequel or sequel" to the film.</p>.<p>"Rishab is away and once he is back, we will discuss what we want to do -- a sequel or a prequel. We will have something in a couple of months. We definitely have plans for <em>Kantara 2</em> but there’s no timeline," Kiragandur told <em>PTI </em>in an interview here.</p>.<p>Shetty had earlier said that he plans to make a follow-up to the blockbuster movie.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/kantara-is-not-just-a-movie-but-a-religious-experience-for-me-rishab-shetty-1160181.html" target="_blank">Kantara is not just a movie but a religious experience for me: Rishab Shetty</a></strong></p>.<p>Set in the fictional village of Dakshina Kannada, <em>Kantara </em>follows a Kambala champion, also played by Shetty, who comes to loggerheads with an upright Forest Range officer, Murali (Kishore).</p>.<p>Kambala is an annual race, held from November to March in coastal Karnataka, in which a jockey drives a pair of buffaloes, tied to the plough, through parallel muddy tracks.</p>.<p>According to Hombale Films co-founder Chaluve Gowda, the audience connected with the film as it showcased the deep-rooted rituals and beliefs that are prevalent in Indian society.</p>.<p>"These rituals are there all over the world in a different way. Whatever was there in <em>Kantara</em>, the same story can happen in any part of the country. That's how people connected to <em>Kantara</em>. People related to it. We wanted to show a local subject to a wider audience," Gowda added.</p>.<p>Also featuring Achyuth Kumar and Sapthami Gowda in pivotal roles, <em>Kantara </em>was also released in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam languages.</p>.<p>Besides the audiences, many industry personalities including Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan praised the movie on social media. </p>
<p>Rishab Shetty's period action thriller <em>Kantara </em>is set to be turned into a franchise, the movie's producers confirmed on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Written and directed by Shetty, the hit Kannada film received an overwhelming response upon its release in theatres on September 30.</p>.<p>Reportedly mounted on a meagre budget of Rs 16 crore, the movie has earned over Rs 500 crore worldwide at the box office.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/panorama/kantara-caught-in-cultural-crossfire-1160576.html" target="_blank">Kantara: Caught in cultural crossfire</a></strong></p>.<p>Vijay Kiragandur, co-founder of Hombale Films, said the banner is ecstatic with the response to <em>Kantara </em>and the company will soon start developing "either a prequel or sequel" to the film.</p>.<p>"Rishab is away and once he is back, we will discuss what we want to do -- a sequel or a prequel. We will have something in a couple of months. We definitely have plans for <em>Kantara 2</em> but there’s no timeline," Kiragandur told <em>PTI </em>in an interview here.</p>.<p>Shetty had earlier said that he plans to make a follow-up to the blockbuster movie.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/kantara-is-not-just-a-movie-but-a-religious-experience-for-me-rishab-shetty-1160181.html" target="_blank">Kantara is not just a movie but a religious experience for me: Rishab Shetty</a></strong></p>.<p>Set in the fictional village of Dakshina Kannada, <em>Kantara </em>follows a Kambala champion, also played by Shetty, who comes to loggerheads with an upright Forest Range officer, Murali (Kishore).</p>.<p>Kambala is an annual race, held from November to March in coastal Karnataka, in which a jockey drives a pair of buffaloes, tied to the plough, through parallel muddy tracks.</p>.<p>According to Hombale Films co-founder Chaluve Gowda, the audience connected with the film as it showcased the deep-rooted rituals and beliefs that are prevalent in Indian society.</p>.<p>"These rituals are there all over the world in a different way. Whatever was there in <em>Kantara</em>, the same story can happen in any part of the country. That's how people connected to <em>Kantara</em>. People related to it. We wanted to show a local subject to a wider audience," Gowda added.</p>.<p>Also featuring Achyuth Kumar and Sapthami Gowda in pivotal roles, <em>Kantara </em>was also released in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam languages.</p>.<p>Besides the audiences, many industry personalities including Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan praised the movie on social media. </p>