Rishab Shetty: The National Award-winning actor and the true heart of ‘Kantara’ |

Rishab Shetty got pan-India recognition for his work in ‘Kantara‘. Recently, he received the National Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the very film. As an actor, Rishab never compromises on his art. For a movie like ‘Kantara’ which had too much depth and dimension, Rishab Shetty was a perfect lead because he has shown credibility to express complexity in his characters in his past projects as well.
His commitment and versatility can be seen in movies like ‘Ricky’, ‘Kirik Party’, and ‘Bell Bottom’.He portrayed a wide range of emotions and character arcs in them. However, he truly found his career-defining role in ‘Kantara’, which unfolds against the beautiful cultural variety of a richly diversified landscape-a tale of conflict and redemption. Shetty not only acted in the film but donned the hats of a strong writer and director for this movie.
While talking about his creative process behind the film, Shetty stated the importance of authenticity. He was sincerely working on something that could be real and connected to that place. He believes that every character has a soul, and it is his responsibility to bring that to life. He applied this philosophy of understanding the complexities between characters and their environment so that each scene spoke well to the audience.
Shetty’s investment in ‘Kantara’ extended beyond acting. He was instrumental throughout the filmmaking process, tying up with the crew and communities there so that nothing was incorrectly presented in terms of traditions and rituals. This authenticity connection helped him internalize so much into the character that his performance is so impactful.
The hard work and vision of the filmmaker have worked well, and this blends commercial cinema with a strong cultural narrative in films, thus opening avenues for storytelling that Kannada cinema hasn’t seen before.