Why Is Kantara: Chapter 1 Streaming Early On OTT Despite Still Running Successfully In Theatres?

Rishabh Shetty’s much-loved film, Kantara Chapter 1, received widespread acclaim from critics and audiences. The film was released in theatres on October 2, 2025, and is still running successfully in Hindi and regional languages. However, despite still running successfully in theatres, the film is all set to premiere on OTT on October 31, 2025.

Why is Kantara Chapter 1 streaming early on OTT?

As soon as the official release date of Kantara Chapter 1 on OTT was announced, people were left confused, since a film usually takes 8 weeks to stream on OTT after its theatrical release. In a recent interview with India Today, Chaluve Gowda, a partner at Hombale Films, revealed the reason behind the early OTT release and said:

“The agreement for this release window was actually done three years ago, so it’s more of an obligation on our part. Back then, the standard practice was different.”

The Hindi version of Kantara Chapter 1 will be released later

In the same interaction, Chaluve also revealed that the film will be available on the streaming platform in regional languages, with the Hindi version to be released later. In his words:

“Only the South language (Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam) versions of the film will release on OTT right now, not the Hindi version. The Hindi version will come after eight weeks. Most South films now follow a four-week window — some run longer, while others wrap up within three to four weeks. Every film has its own agreement and timeline.”

When and where to stream Kantara Chapter 1?

Kantara: Chapter 1 is the prequel of the 2022 film, Kantara. The upcoming Kannada film will feature Rishab Shetty, Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah, Jayaram, Rakesh Poojari and a few others. The film will be streamed exclusively on the OTT giant, Amazon Prime Video, starting from October 31, 2025. Amazon Prime Video announced the official release of the film and wrote:

“Get ready to witness the legendary adventure of Berme. In Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam."

Kantara Chapter 1 plot

Kantara Chapter 1 reveals the origin of the story of the divine spirits, or Daivas, Panjurli and Guliga, tracing the film's foundational lore. The story is set several centuries before the events of the first film, during the 4th century CE, when the Kadamba dynasty was in power.  The story is driven by a clash between the protector of the forest, a warrior named 'Berme' (played by Rishab Shetty), and the tyrannical 'King Kulasekhara' (played by Gulshan Devaiah), who seeks to exploit the forest's resources. And just like in the first instalment, the divine forces play a major role in the prequel to save the village of Kantara and its people.

Are you excited about the early OTT release of Kantara Chapter 1?

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