Kantara is not just a movie but a religious experience for me: Rishab Shetty

The actor and director of the massive hit opened up in an exclusive chat and talked in length about the film

Rishab Shetty, director and actor of the runaway box-office hit 'Kantara', said the idea of making the film came very abruptly to him. While promoting the film in the national capital over the weekend, Rishab sat down with DH for an exclusive, and spilled the beans on the hit film.

"The idea of making Kantara came very abruptly, I was with a bunch of friends and during our regular chats this topic cropped up suddenly. I personally felt this and decided to work on it," he said.

It was a challenge to multi-task in the film, but Rishab said his conviction never failed him. "I am a man with a vision and I take up the assignment when I have the full commitment towards it. If you see my past work, you’ll be able to understand that all my work was completed on time and with full conviction. I believed our hard work paid off very well." Hairline fractures, other injuries and countless pains, the actor said, did not keep him from giving his best. "A spiritual energy kept me motivated throughout the filming."

Also read | 'Kantara' review: Rishab shines in a technical marvel

Rishab recalled that the entire crew of the film followed some rules during the shoot. They were not allowed to wear slippers on set and no non-vegetarian food was allowed during the filming. The actor even fasted for five days while filming the iconic finale scene.

The fearless Shiva the audiences loved on-screen came out due to an MMA fighter from Assam who trained Rishab.

On his fellow cast members, Rishab said he only began hunting after writing the whole script. "I am not the person who keeps someone in mind before writing the script. Kishore is my dear friend and I am glad he liked the script and accepted the role of Murali. I found ‘Leela’ while scrolling through my Instagram feed. I stumbled upon Saptami Gowda’s pictures and I really liked them and believed she will be ideal for the role," he said.

“This movie is a religious experience for me and I am humbled that the audience from across the nation is showering love,” he said.

The Kannada period action thriller, which released countrywide on September 30, is set in the fictional village of Dakshina Kannada and follows a Kambala champion, played by Shetty, who comes to loggerheads with an upright Forest Range officer, Murali.

The film has been winning hearts across India and has shattered box-office records, emerging as one of the blockbusters of 2022.

Even after a month’s run at the box office, Kantara is still witnessing growth in earnings on a daily basis. Reportedly, the worldwide collection of Kantara stands at Rs 332.1 cr (gross) (37 days).