On July 7th, a special birthday was celebrated. It belongs to Rishab Shetty, the filmmaker who turned the movie world upside down. He proved that you don’t need a massive budget to make a giant splash. His movie ‘Kantara’ did just that. Now, he’s busy crafting ‘Kantara’ Part 2.
‘Kantara’ hit screens across the country in 2022. It told a captivating story from rural areas, rooted in local folklore. Audiences everywhere fell in love with it. The film made a ton of money at the box office. Rishab Shetty directed this hit. He also starred as the main character. Let’s look back at his amazing journey in movies.
From Selling Water to Film School
Rishab Shetty wasn’t born into a film family. He grew up in Mangaluru. He moved to Bengaluru for his B.Com studies. There, he found a love for theater. People liked his stage performances. This sparked his dream to act. But it wasn’t an easy path. His family was middle-class. He didn’t want to be a burden on them. So, Rishab worked odd jobs to support himself. He sold water bottles. He worked in real estate. He even spent time at a hotel. All this time, he was also earning a diploma in film direction. Talk about dedication!

Climbing the Ranks in Cinema
He decided to dive fully into the film world. Rishab started at the very bottom. He worked as a clap boy. He was a spot boy. Then, he became an assistant director. During this time, he met Rakshit Shetty. They became close friends. Later, Rakshit gave Rishab a chance to act in one of his movies.
Rishab always wanted to be an actor. Even while working as an assistant director, he snagged a small part in the 2012 film ‘Tuglak’. Rakshit Shetty then cast him in an important role in his own directed film. Slowly, Rishab built his acting name. He got a lead role in ‘Bell Bottom’ (2019). Then came ‘Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana’ (2021). People really liked his work in that too. Rishab kept acting in many more films.
The Director’s Chair and a Cinematic Revolution
With his acting career going strong, Rishab set his sights on directing. His first film as a director was ‘Ricky’. Next, he directed ‘Kirik Party’. He also made the excellent film ‘Sarkari Hi. Pra. Shaale, Kasaragodu, Koduge: Ramanna Rai’.
But it was ‘Kantara’ in 2022 that made Rishab a household name. He directed it and played the lead. The film was made on a small budget, about 16 crore. But it earned over 400 crore at the box office. ‘Kantara’ told the story of folk deities from the Tulu region. It had a powerful message. The way the film showed local culture, old tales, and beliefs felt fresh. It was an experience viewers won’t forget. ‘Kantara’ even won Best Actor and Popular Film at the 70th National Film Awards. Now, Rishab is busy making ‘Kantara’s’ second part.

Personal Sacrifices for ‘Kantara’
Rishab paid great attention to detail for ‘Kantara’. The film had scenes with folk deities. Before filming began, he stopped eating non-vegetarian food. When he played the role of the folk deity, he only drank coconut water. During the filming, Rishab even burned his back with fire. This happened in a scene where he was beaten with a burning piece of wood. The idea for ‘Kantara’ actually came to Rishab during the Covid lockdown.
