The Hindi version of Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 has enjoyed a strong box office run, grossing ₹75 crores over its extended four-day weekend. Thanks to positive word of mouth, the film is expected to maintain steady audiences through Diwali. However, despite its success, several cinema managers have reported viewer complaints regarding sound quality and subtitle readability.
A multiplex official from Mumbai shared, “In the opening scene and a few other sequences, the background score overpowers the dialogues, making it difficult for the audience to catch what’s being said. Thankfully, this issue occurs only in a few spots, but the makers should have addressed it beforehand.”Another Mumbai suburban manager added, “These problems are avoidable, and the filmmakers should fix them. Often, viewers blame the cinema’s sound system, but that’s not the case here.” He noted that in past cases, producers have sent updated prints with corrected sound and hopes the same will happen for Kantara.
The issue has also sparked discussions on X (formerly Twitter), where some viewers have voiced similar concerns. Meanwhile, a few multiplex authorities report no complaints so far. A manager from a leading multiplex chain said, “We haven’t received any sound-related complaints to date.”In addition to audio issues, several patrons have criticized the subtitle font size during the film’s “Guliga” scenes. Sachin Prabhu, who watched an early morning screening, remarked, “Even on a large screen, the subtitles were too small to read comfortably.
Either the makers should dub all dialogues in Hindi or increase subtitle font size, especially since most viewers in our market prefer dubbed versions over subtitles.”Notably, Hombale Films, producer of Kantara, faced similar sound complaints with their 2022 blockbuster KGF Chapter 2. Patrons nationwide requested volume reductions, prompting the makers to release rectified prints post-first weekend. A similar issue arose with 2024’s Kanguva, where producer K.E. Gnanavel Raja asked exhibitors to lower the volume by two points after feedback about loudness, given the film’s intense action sequences.With Kantara’s success, it remains to be seen if the makers will address the sound and subtitle concerns to enhance the viewing experience further.
