Rishab Shetty’s Kantara Chapter 1 continues to make waves at the box office, earning fans’ praise across social media. It is rewriting box office history and showing no signs of slowing down. After an explosive opening weekend, the film is now inching towards the Rs 400 crore mark globally. But a recent incident during a screening in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, has sparked heated debate online. A video shows a fan dressed as a Daiva making a dramatic entrance into the theatre. Security guards tried to intervene, but the fan continued to move up and down the auditorium, leaving the audience both stunned and amused.

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Social media reacts

The moment quickly went viral, with fans sharing mixed reactions. One wrote, “After the screening of Kantara Chapter 1 in Dindigul, a fan dressed as a Daiva stunned the audience there. Goosebumps.” Another added, “This happened in Dindigul. TN people are going crazy for #KantaraChapter1.”

Fans call it disrespectful

However, many viewers felt the gesture was disrespectful to tradition. “This is very wrong. I know people are excited and want some publicity. Please don’t do this. For us Tuluvas, these are sacred and core of our life,” one X user commented. Other X users commented that dressing up as a Daiva goes against the sacred ritual of Daivaradhane. “Turning a sacred tradition into entertainment is true disrespect. Think. Is this what we want the next generation to see?” another wrote. Some even called on the movie team to take action against the theatre for allowing the stunt. 

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Kantara Chapter 1: Story, cast and more

Set during the ancient Kadamba period in Karnataka, Kantara: Chapter 1 goes back in time to reveal the origin of the myth that defined the first movie. The film follows Rishab Shetty as a fierce Naga Sadhu, a warrior-mystic destined to bridge the world of mortals and the divine. As per the official synopsis, ‘This isn’t just a prequel, it’s the origin of a myth.’ And audiences seem to agree.

The film also stars Rukmini Vasanth, Jayaram, Gulshan Devaiah, PD Satish Chandra, and Prakash Thuminad in key roles. It’s been released in multiple languages, including Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali, and even English, making it truly pan-India.

Before its release, Kantara: Chapter 1 underwent a few minor edits from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). One obscene hand gesture was removed, and during scenes involving drug use, a legal disclaimer was added reminding audiences that “Consumption and trafficking of narcotic drugs is prohibited and punishable by law.”