New Delhi, Oct. 4 -- Within weeks of its release in 2022, Rishab Shetty's Kannada film Kantara (Mystical Forest) became a pan-India hit. The narrative, rooted in local tradition, explored dynastic clashes and faith colliding with human greed. The film connected so strongly with audiences, that it spawned prequels (chapter 2 is set to follow). Where the earlier film was an unassuming, near-folk tale that blossomed into something both mythic and weighty, this prequel is undoubtedly far more confident, backed by a much larger budget that permits the creator's sprawling vision to come alive on screen but propelled by the same passion. This is a super-sized film-thrilling in parts, sometimes overexerted.

The expansive and indulgent 168-minute...