Can Rishab Alone Save Kannada Cinema’s Fate?

Kantara: Chapter 1, Struggling Kannada Cinema Needs Rishab Shetty. The South Indian film industry has been producing impressive films with smaller budgets, yet managing big spectacles. While Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films thrive, Kannada cinema is struggling to find consistent success.

In 2024, out of 227 Kannada releases, only eight worked at the box office. This gave a hit rate of barely 3 percent and led to losses of nearly 520 crore. In 2025, the first half alone saw over 170 releases but little success.

One surprise hit has been Su from So, co-produced by Raj B. The film not only became a major Kannada success but also crossed the 100-crore mark worldwide. It has raised hopes that more Kannada films can achieve pan-Indian recognition.

The industry is now looking at upcoming big releases. These include Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1, Yash’s Toxic, Darshan’s Devil  The Hero, Sudeep’s Billa Ranga Badshaa, Ganesh and Ramesh Aravind’s Sincerely Raam, Prem–Dhruv Sarja’s KD, and Arjun Janya’s 45.

Other films lined up are Vijaya Kumar’s Rachaiah, Dhananjaya’s Jingo, Upendra’s Buddhivantha 2, and Dinakar Toogudeepa’s Royal. Among these, Kantara: Chapter 1 is the most awaited, as it carries the weight of reviving Kannada cinema with another massive success.

Rishab Shetty has assembled some of the best talents in the industry for Kantara: Chapter 1. After the first part’s phenomenal success, expectations are huge. The real question now is whether Rishab can deliver even more than before.