Rishab Shetty on Kantara’s USP: ‘Filmmakers thought desi stories won’t work, audience kuch aur soch rahi hai’

Filmmaker-actor Rishab Shetty has spoken about what type of content the audience wants to watch. In a new interview, Rishab said that the Indian audience love ‘stories rooted in our culture’. He also added that filmmakers thought ‘desi stories’ won’t work and instead wanted to try content with ‘Western sensibilities’. (Also Read | Interview | Kantara’s Rishab Shetty reveals the overwhelming reason he has stopped doing theatre visits)

Rishab also talked about his latest hit Kantara’s ‘USP’, which he said was the connection between nature and humans. He said that Kantara addresses that ‘in detail through a folk lore’ and so people have loved the film. Written, directed and fronted by Rishab, the Kannada period action thriller was released on September 30.

In an interview with Zoom Digital, “The people of India are sentimental. They love stories rooted in our culture and ethos. Filmmakers elsewhere thought that such desi stories will not work and they should make something with more western sensibilities, films that are more commercial in nature. However, audience kuch aur hi soch rahi hai (is thinking something else). They want grounded, rooted, regional village, realistic stories on the silver screen.

Speaking about the awareness of Kannada films, he said, “In the 70s and 80s there was a superstar Dr Rajkumar, whose films got dubbed into multiple languages, such was his stardom. Humara legacy bhi hai, but har industry mein ups and downs hota hai (We also have our legacy but every industry has its ups and downs) Toh after KGF 2, people suddenly had a renewed interest in Kannada films. It is a good thing.”

Kantara was dubbed and released in Telugu, Hindi and Tamil last week. The Kannada version of the film has already crossed ₹100 crore nett mark as per Box Office India. Apart from Rishab, Kantara also features Kishore Kumar G, Achyuth Kumar and Sapthami Gowda in pivotal roles. Set in the fictional village of Dakshina Kannada, Kantara follows a Kambala champion, played by Rishab, who comes to loggerheads with an upright Forest Range officer, Murali (Kishore).