Culture · 7 min read

Kantara and Theyyam: what the film shows and what it does not

By Geethu · Updated 8 May 2026

The film Kantara sent many people searching for Theyyam. What it shows is Bhoota Kola, a ritual of the Tulu-speaking coast of Karnataka. It is closely related to Theyyam, and it shares some of the same deities, but the two are not the same thing. Here is how they connect.

What Kantara shows

Kantara is a 2022 Kannada film, written and directed by Rishab Shetty, who also plays the lead. It is set in coastal Karnataka and draws on the worship of local deities called daivas. Two of them matter in the story: Panjurli, a boar deity seen as a guardian of the village, and Guliga, a fierce deity who is Panjurli’s companion. A follow-up, Kantara: Chapter 1, was released on 2 October 2025.

The story is fiction. What the film borrows is a real tradition, the worship of daivas through Bhoota Kola, also called Daiva Kola.

Bhoota Kola and Theyyam

Bhoota Kola is practised among Tulu-speaking communities in Tulu Nadu, parts of Malenadu in Karnataka and Kasaragod in northern Kerala. As in Theyyam, a person takes on the form of the deity, is believed to be possessed by it after the headgear is placed, and speaks to devotees. Preparation and ritual together can last many hours.

Wikipedia describes Theyyam as closely related to Bhoota Kola, and as an evolved form of it. The two share a world, and in Kasaragod they sit side by side. The differences are real, though:

• Region and language. Theyyam belongs to North Malabar and is held in Malayalam, while Bhoota Kola belongs to the Tulu region.
• Communities. Each tradition is kept by its own communities. For Bhoota Kola, sources name the Pambada, Parava and Nalike as the ritual mediums.
• Deities and forms. Some deities are common to both. Others are particular to one side of the border, with their own songs, stories and attire.

So Kantara is not a window onto Theyyam. It is a window onto a neighbouring tradition.

Panjurli and Guliga in Kerala

Both deities cross the border. In Kerala you will find Panjuruli, a divine wild boar, and Gulikan, a powerful guardian linked in astrology with Shani and understood as an aspect of Yama. They are Theyyams in their own right, kept by particular families and shrines, mainly in Kasaragod and Kannur.

Where the deity came from is something sources do not agree on. Some link Panjurli with Varaha, Vishnu’s boar form, while others see an older local worship of a boar spirit that protects crops. We suggest holding both readings lightly.

What a film cannot show

A film needs a story, and a ritual is not a story. Here is what to remember when you leave the cinema:

• The koladhari is a person from a particular family. Taking the kolam follows years of training and rules, and the person is deeply respected, not an actor.
• Not everything is meant to be seen. Parts of the ritual are private, and some shrines do not allow photography or video.
• A ritual does not serve a plot. It follows its own order, and its length and moments depend on the deity, the shrine and the family.
• Cinematic light and sound are not the experience. Being present at a Theyyam is quiet, long and often cold at night, with the village around you.

If the film made you curious

That is a good thing, and it is also a reason to be careful. Please do not hunt for dates and turn up at a family shrine as if it were a film set. Many Theyyams are family occasions, and the kindest thing a guest can do is arrive with someone the family knows. Read Theyyam etiquette and Cameras and ritual first.

Quick answers

Is Kantara about Theyyam?

Not exactly. The film is about Bhoota Kola, a closely related ritual of the Tulu region of coastal Karnataka. Theyyam is the tradition of North Malabar in Kerala, and the two share deities and some practices.

What are Panjurli and Guliga?

Panjurli is a boar deity, usually seen as a protector, and Guliga is a fierce guardian linked with justice. Both are worshipped in Bhoota Kola. In Kerala they appear as Panjuruli and Gulikan.

Where can I see Panjuruli or Gulikan in Kerala?

They are kept by particular families and shrines, mainly in Kasaragod and Kannur, and we do not publish places or dates. Our guided trips can arrange a respectful visit when a ritual allows guests.

Is the film accurate?

It is a drama. Some of its deities and festivals are drawn from real traditions, but the story, the characters and the staging are made for film. A real ritual has its own rules and is not a plot.