’Kantara Commercialised Belief Of Crores’: Daiva worshippers file complaint at Mangaluru shrine

Mangalore Today News Network/ News 18

Mangaluru, Oct 9, 2025: The intense cultural conflict surrounding the blockbuster film Kantara has escalated dramatically in Coastal Karnataka which is popularly known as Tulunadu, with Daiva worshippers and performers formally registering their protest against the movie’s depiction of the sacred ritual.

The simmering tension between the Daivaradhakas (Daiva worshippers) and the film’s makers reached a peak as a collective “complaint" and prayer was offered at a local shrine. The action was taken at the Perara Brahma Balavandi and Pilichandi Daivasthana near Bajpe, Mangaluru.

The protestors allege that the use of Daivaradhane (the traditional worship of local deities) in Kantara constitutes an insult and mockery of the ancient spiritual practice. The film prominently features elements such as the Daiva Nartana (deity dance), the use of specific Daivas like Panjurli, Guliga, and Pili Daiva, and the depiction of Daiva Avesha (spiritual possession).

Daiva dancers and worshippers participated in the collective prayer, submitting a plea against the film’s perceived ridicule of their faith. Adding to their distress, they note that following the movie’s release, numerous individuals have been “perversely" imitating the deity possession sequence on social media and elsewhere, further diluting the sanctity of the ritual.

“Kantara gained crores but belief of crores of people has been commercialised," said one post by a protestor.

The controversy has ignited a fierce pro and anti-film debate across all social media platforms as the local community grapples with the commercial use and popularisation of its deep-rooted cultural heritage.