'Kantara' prequel doesn't promote any ideology, clarifies Rishab Shetty
What's the story
Rishab Shetty, the actor-director of Kantara: Chapter 1, has clarified that he intended to tell a universal story and not promote any specific "ideology or agenda" through the film. The film explores themes of faith and spirituality from coastal Karnataka's folklore. Speaking to PTI, he said, "As a storyteller, I always think, I should never be biased, and that we should tell stories to people, like about our folklore, Bharatiyata, and our belief system of nature worshiping."
Storytelling focus
Don't believe in pushing my thought process on audiences: Shetty
Shetty, who also wrote the film with Anirudh Mahesh and Shanil Guru, said he doesn't believe in "pushing his thought process" on audiences. He said, "You should have some experience...like you go to temple, you pray and worship God, you feel it." "So, we gave that experience through the story...it is up to you and your choice how you take things from it," he added.
Spirituality and filmmaking
Shetty does 'puja' at shooting spot before starting work
Shetty revealed that his family has a deep-rooted relationship with spirituality. "We all as a family worship God a lot, it's our routine, it's our lifestyle." He also shared that he performs puja at the shooting spot before starting work. The actor-director expressed gratitude to Hombale Films for their support in making Kantara: Chapter 1, especially given the challenges of creating a story set in an unknown era.
World-building hurdles
Extensive research went into making 'Kantara'
Shetty said the biggest challenge was creating a believable world for the film. "We did a lot of research, talked to a lot of people, collected some information, and brought all of that into our story." He added that the team worked tirelessly on everything from visuals to costumes. "Extensive work was done on the costumes as well; we tried to ensure that the characters should look colorful and realistic," he said.
Future projects
Shetty hints at 'Kantara' sequel, reveals next project
Shetty assured fans that he will continue to explore the world of Kantara in future projects. "There are a lot of stories to be told in the world of Kantara, but I don't know when and how I'll do it," he said. He also revealed that next year, he will start working on his new film Jai Hanuman.