'Imagine if someone rewrote Ramayana': Redditor irked over Kantara's portrayal of Bhootha Kola, Daiva acts

Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1 has taken the box office by storm since its October 2 release, wowing audiences with its raw storytelling and portrayal of sacred traditions. But its success is clouded as a Redditor from Mangalore recently wrote that even if Kantara hurts the Tulu community, everyone has the right to tell stories and make movies.

The user also went on to explain why the movie struck all the wrong notes with those from Tulunadu. 

"The movie twists the very core of our cultural beliefs. The traditions here predate the Vedic systems. They're primal and deeply rooted. The Bhoothas aren't deities, they're spirits. They've always been seen as equals among humans, a part of nature, a presence we live in harmony with."

He added that the Bhootha Kola ritual is not about worshipping a god sent from elsewhere. He stated that it is a community ritual, wherein people from every religion come together to honour that ancient spirit world. The user further said that the film's portrayal of the Daiva acts and the fans mimicking them is akin to rewriting Ramayana.

"All I'm asking is: see Kantara for what it is, a decent action-heavy pulp fiction. A story, not history. Imagine if someone rewrote the Ramayana and made Rama and Sita sail to Bali instead of Lanka or claimed Krishna was a Greek god who happened to land in India. It wouldn't sit right with most people. That's exactly what has happened here. So enjoy the movie as a piece of fiction, but don't mistake it for the truth of Tulunadu's culture," the user explained.

Meanwhile, the film crossed the ₹400 crore mark within a week at the worldwide box office. With this, Kantara: Chapter 1 became the fourth Indian film to cross the ₹400 crore mark after Coolie, Saiyaara, and Chaava. In India, the film is nearing the ₹300 crore mark as of its first Tuesday at the ticket counters. 

The film made ₹61.85 crore on its day 1, ₹45.4 crore on its day 2, ₹55 crore on its day 3, ₹63 crore on its day 4, ₹31.5 crore on its day 5, and ₹33.5 crore on its day 6. With this, Kantara: Chapter 1 made a total of ₹290.25 crore in India as of its first Tuesday, according to Sacnilk.