Exclusive! Rishab Shetty: 'I belong to Kannada cinema and I will continue representing it'

In a recent exclusive chat with OTTplay, Rishab Shetty spoke about the overwhelming success of Kantara and the offers he has been getting from all the different film industries,

Rishab Shetty basking in the Kantara glory

Rishab Shetty's rise to global prominence might seem completely unprecedented as though it occurred overnight, but not many would know that he has striving incessantly for as many as 20 years to get to this point. As someone who grew up watching and admiring Kannada cinema, being a part of the industry meant the world to Rishab but it was apparent that he wasn't willing to settle for anything subpar.

"I imagined I would become a star overnight but the reality was obviously quite different. I began working in the industry almost 20 years ago and although the first break came a few years down the line, I considered finding work to be a part of my work (laughs)," says Rishab in an exclusive chat suggesting that the success of Kantara didn't come to him served on a platter.

Kantara box office (worldwide): Becomes only third film to gross Rs. 200 crores!

And the same Kantara has made him a household name across India today. What began as a sincere but modest approach to a personal story, Kantara grew out of proportion without any forewarning and Rishab Shetty is now being hailed as a genius filmmaker and performer by the biggest names in the country, with the likes of Allu Aravind, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and others seeking out a chance to be associated with the film. In the same vein came the proposals to leverage his new-found fame and work in other film industries but for Rishab, the Kannada Film Industry is the chosen home.

"I won't deny that there have been offers from other film industries but I am here to be part of Kannada films. And that's how I always wished for things to be so the success of Kantara won't change that. In the past, Rakshit, I, and many of our contemporaries looked at other industries and their cinema and longed for the same kind of adoration toward Kannada cinema. In fact, we would even wonder how we could bring about that change here, in the Kannada Film Industry. But now that it is finally happening and we are getting the kind of attention that we deserve, it is my responsibility to continue making Kannada films and take them around the world. As much as Kantara has privileged me, I feel it has also made me responsible to represent our culture and language - I mean, now that we have it finally, why let it go!”

“And as far as the offers are concerned, I would love to see if there is any room for collaborations in the future and if we can blend two industries somehow. But I am yet to give all of that a thought because I am so overwhelmed by the Kantara success that I need a break to get my head around this,” shares Rishab Shetty in the same chat.

Vivek Agnihotri on Kantara: 'Couldn't stop myself from sharing this unique experience, hats off to Rishab Shetty'

Following the thumping success of Kantara Telugu the distributor of the film, and veteran producer, Allu Aravind showered praises on Rishab Shetty and marveled at his extraordinary performance in the film. It was apparent from his speech at the success meet that, although he chanced upon watching Kantara, the film has opened him up to new kind of sensibilities and cultures: in the same breath, Allu Aravind would reveal that he has already offered a film to Rishab Shetty and that the actor-director has, in deed, agreed to make one for Geetha Arts! The news of this, for obvious reasons, took the media by a storm but Rishab Shetty chose to composed about the matter and he is yet to give a formal verdict on the announcement. However, judging by what he feels toward Kananda cinema, it is unlikely that he would be making a switch anytime soon.

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