Rishabh Shetty, who wowed the audience at the 53d edition of the International Film Festival of India in Goa, believes there is no formula for making a pan-India film

Nonika Singh

STARS are born and how…Rishabh Shetty, who walked the red carpet at the 53d edition of International Film Festival of India amidst cheers and applause, and was part of an interesting In Conversation session, proved so. The Kantara actor-director-producer, who eats, breathes and lives Kannada, and whose film has created box-office records, tells how there is no formula for making a pan-India film.

Rather he does not believe in the concept and avers, “Regional is universal and what rootedness can do nothing else can.” As the rise of OTT has broken the language barrier, he can see no reason to move away from one’s mother tongue. Yes, in future too he will make Kannada films for that is his karambhoomi and the love of people in the state has made him!

Of course, as with Kantara, if need be, he will dub his film in other languages. Interestingly, after the successful run in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi, it is being dubbed in foreign languages too. On the stupendous success of Kantara, all he can say is that the content connected with the audiences. The story, which is primarily based on man-nature conflict, is about his village and the character of Shiva as well as others are people he has known. He even cast his village people as characters in the film and recalled how during the audition, the selected actors were given a worn out pair of slippers for that was a requirement of the part. And the joke became, “Chapal mila toh role mila.’

Common belief system

The decision to play the lead himself was a foregone conclusion. As his earlier films, especially Bell Bottom, had almost branded him as a comedian, he wanted to tap into ‘the angry man’ within him.

As to how he combined religious beliefs, folklore and more in the compelling drama of Kantara, which has taken the country by storm, once again his answer is, “There is no definite technique.” Yes, he, who himself is a Yakshgana artiste, does believe in the rituals that the film depicts, “Had I not, viewers would not have.” For the resonance that the culture specificity of the film has found, he says, “At the core we are Indians, so whatever may be the region, we have a similar belief system. After all, India is essentially an agricultural country and hence people are connected.”

When he got down to write the story, it flowed organically. Even otherwise, he shares, “I don’t think or read too much and was an average student in school.” But he truly understands the craft of cinema and knows too well how the biggest takeaway from films is the climax. And the sound of the scintillating 30-minute climax of Kantara is resounding in the hearts of viewers, as is evident in the robust reception his presence continues to elicit.

Complexity of human emotions

The film’s title Three of Us may not have come from the famous Lady Diana’s words, ‘there were three of us in our marriage’, but as the cast and crew of the Hindi film interacts with the media there is little doubt the film is a slice of married life and tackles the complexity of human emotions. The Avinash Arun-directorial, which will see a romantic Jaideep Ahlawat, a vulnerable Shefali Shah and a besura Swanand Kirkire, is unlikely to be an average run-of-the-mill film. The much-awarded Killa director Arun, who happens to be the film’s director of photography too, swears Shah has shot it so beautifully that you can actually smell the flavour of tbe Konkan region. As for not making the film set in Konkan belt in the native language, Arun feels that cinema is an experience in itself and language is no bar. On teaming up with Ahlawat once again, as the two have worked before in Pataal Lok, the actor shares how their friendship goes back to FTII, Pune, when they even created student projects together.

Tune of controversy: Varaha Roopam vs Navarasam

Kantara has witnessed many releases; first in Kannada in September, followed by Hindi on October 14 and then in Tamil as well as Telugu on October 15. Now that the film is on OTT (Amazon Prime Video), it has been released with a new version of the film’s poster song Varaha Roopam. As it had similarities with the song Navarasam, the makers were accused of plagiarism by Kerala-based multi-genre band Thaikkudam Bridge, which took the case to Kozhikode District Court. The latter banned its use and so the creators were forced to remove it from online platforms. Though the Varaha Roopam song had inspired notes from Navarasam, mainly the initial part, the song was reportedly not a blatant rip-off. When the matter was taken to the Kerala High Court for appeal by Homable Films, creative producers, the court directed team Kantara to seek relief from the lower court. Now, on Friday, the latter, after listening to both the parties, dismissed the plea of Thaikkudam Bridge and lifted the ban. However, it’s a temporary relief as the lower court’s decision can be challenged. Meanwhile, the original song, Navarasam, has a more classical tone, with all the nine human emotions encapsulated in its music. Varaha Roopam, on the other hand, is more rhythmic than the alleged original owing to the theatrical experience. Thaikkudam Bridge’s Navarasam was released in January, 2017.