2022 Indian sleeper hit “Kantara” could have began as a regional Kannada-language movie, however its huge success remodeled Hombale Movies‘ trajectory in a single day. Now, producer Vijay Kiragandur is doubling down with “Kantara A Legend: Chapter 1,” a prequel that he says pushes each boundary the corporate has beforehand set.

Kiragandur has additionally shared a behind-the-scenes video with Selection.

Made on a modest funds of $1.96 million, “Kantara,” written, directed by and starring Rishab Shetty, went on to amass some $50 million with dubbed variations in a number of Indian languages.

The choice to assemble a complete studio for the prequel speaks to the dimensions of ambition driving this undertaking.

“The studio was born out of each artistic necessity and sensible limitations,” Kiragandur explains. “We scoured Karnataka for a facility that might home an elaborate palace set with intricate interiors, however none met our necessities when it comes to scale or infrastructure. What started as one studio flooring rapidly expanded right into a full-fledged facility.”

The funding proved strategic past mere logistics. “Constructing our personal studio allowed us full artistic management, streamlined manufacturing timelines, diminished journey prices — and most significantly — gave our director, Rishab Shetty the peace of thoughts to understand his imaginative and prescient uncompromised. It grew to become a catalyst for the movie’s authenticity.”

That authenticity extends to the movie’s core themes, which dig deeper into the religious and mythological components that resonated so powerfully within the authentic. “The religious resonance of the primary movie was a guiding pressure as we formed ‘Chapter 1,’” Kiragandur notes. “The viewers’s response to ‘Kantara’ gave us readability — we knew we needed to honor that legacy with targeted storytelling.”

“As an alternative of pursuing a number of tasks concurrently, we selected to channel all our vitality into this one,” Kiragandur provides. “Although we’re in superior levels with different pan-India movies, our dedication to ‘Kantara: Chapter 1‘ took priority.”

The upcoming pan-India tasks embrace “Salaar: Half 2 – Shouryaanga Parvam,” the sequel to Prashanth Neel’s 2023 blockbuster “Salaar: Half 1 – Ceasefire,” starring Prabhas, which was one of many greatest Indian hits of 2023. Hombale is not any stranger to blockbusters, being the studio behind Neel’s Yash starrers “Ok.G.F: Chapter 1” (2018) and “Ok.G.F: Chapter 2” (2022), with the latter being the fifth highest-grossing Indian movie of all time. Kiragandur produces for Hombale alongside Chaluve Gowda.

Kiragandur acknowledges the inherent problem of balancing cultural authenticity with industrial ambitions, however frames it as a chance slightly than a constraint. “Cultural legacy isn’t a stress level for us — it’s a compass,” he says. “By staying true to our narrative, the expertise behind it, and the feelings it carries, we’re assured that authenticity will shine by means of on display.”

Central to that confidence is writer-director-star Rishab Shetty, whose multifaceted involvement mirrors his strategy to the unique movie. “We had full religion in Rishab Shetty, the driving pressure behind ‘Kantara A Legend: Chapter 1.’ Whether or not it was his performing, writing, or path, his expertise performed a pivotal position in shaping every part we created.”

The undertaking’s scope extends past leisure into cultural preservation, addressing themes that Kiragandur considers important to up to date discourse. “One of the vital vital facets of ‘Kantara’ is its deal with preserving nature and elevating the dialog round land possession — a topic deeply significant to us.”

This dedication to cultural storytelling positions the movie inside Hombale’s broader mission to raise Indian narratives on a world stage. “Greater than regional, ‘Kantara A Legend: Chapter 1’ is about Indian storytelling,” Kiragandur emphasizes. “Our analysis regularly led us to marvel on the huge cultural and narrative tapestry this nation holds. We may create years of content material purely from its untold tales.”

The producer sees untapped potential in India’s wealthy heritage, noting that “only a few filmmakers have dared to discover this territory — maybe as a result of there’s no Western blueprint to observe. However we don’t see that as a limitation. We see it as a calling.”

Whereas remaining modest about particular manufacturing moments that crystallized the movie’s distinctive scope, Kiragandur expresses confidence that audiences will acknowledge the achievement. “There have been a number of moments, however we’ll let the movie communicate for itself. We genuinely consider it can depart audiences surprised — not simply by the dimensions, however by the soul.”

When pressed about what distinguishes this manufacturing from Hombale’s earlier efforts, Kiragandur’s response captures the total weight of the enterprise: “‘Kantara A Legend: Chapter 1’ is undoubtedly our most formidable undertaking thus far — and there are a number of the explanation why. The dimensions of effort, from the variety of shoot days to the sheer quantity of manpower, far surpasses something we’ve undertaken earlier than. However past logistics, this movie holds a deeply private place in our hearts. It’s the sort of cinema we’ve all the time dreamed of making. At Hombale, our imaginative and prescient has all the time been to deliver Indian cultural roots to life by means of storytelling. We’ve lengthy aspired to create one thing for this technology — and for generations to return — that makes them pleased with India’s wealthy heritage.”

“Kantara A Legend: Chapter 1” releases Oct. 2 within the Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali and English languages.

Watch the behind-the-scenes video right here: