‘We all belong to the same roots’: Rishab Shetty
Even before the audience could overcome the stupendous success of Kantara, director Rishab Shetty has come up with a prequel to his film, Kantara Chapter 1. The film that explores the origins of the sacred forest and its protectors, blending folklore, faith, and action, has become a box-office hit. In this conversation, Shetty reflects on the process of ideating the film, the tragedies during shooting, and how we all come from the same roots.
What prompted you to shoot a prequel after your last film, Kantara?
We had planned to go into the past for the film, but didn’t realise that we would be so deep into it. After doing the first film, I saw possibilities of extending the story, and we started working on ideas; the team came up with new ideas, and we saw the potential of making a prequel. This film is set in pre-colonial Karnataka, during the reign of the Kadambas. The story continues from the first part and focuses on the conflict between the tribals of the Kantara forest and a tyrannical king. In the first part, I have shown the backstory of the boy; hence, we decided to go into history to find more about his life. The prequel is more about our ancestors.
What were the challenges while making a film on this scale? We heard that you trained for the war sequences?
This is my first film on such a large scale, and we faced challenges every day. There were many injuries on the sets; it was tough putting the film together, especially the forest sequences. We had a huge setup and almost 3,000 crew on the sets, but my team was very efficient. We had discussions before we went on the floors. My earlier films were made with a minimum budget of Rs 1.4 crore. But this is the first film in which I have explored a lot.
We heard that there were deaths on the sets?
No, not on the sets. But yes, you heard right, and it was traumatic. We lost three wonderful people connected to the film. One was a junior artist who suffered a heart attack at the place he was staying. My crew went to help him, but he died on the way to the hospital. The next incident happened when we were not shooting. A young boy had gone to visit a temple by the riverside. People had warned him not to venture out into the river. But he didn’t relent and drowned in the river. Another actor, Rakesh had gone to attend his family function, where he died. All these artists are irreplaceable for us.
Youngsters are loving the prequel; do you think mythological films are attracting them?
You can call these films a myth or mythological venture; I believe it’s history, as it did take place centuries ago. I have tried my best to present it to my audiences as such. I only hope more youngsters watch it to learn our history.
You are the writer, actor, and director of the film. How do you balance such creative diversity?
There is no balance; I just go with the flow. I have been working on this story for the last three years. At times, there are conflicts within myself as an actor and director. The actor in me wants to work on it at my own pace, whereas the director in me wants to complete the film as fast as I can. When that happens, I choose to work on the role of a writer and immerse myself in it.
What was your research like for the film?
During this film, I didn’t have much reference since it’s set in the fourth to fifth century, so I met professors and researchers to get more information. I met the Vice Chancellor of Mangalore, Vivek Rai, who has written books on the subject, and then I met Professor Chinappa Gowda, who has done his PhD on this subject. I also met the elderly from the Daiva Kola tribes to learn more about them and their rituals. I met people who have preserved the folk songs and folklore. I could not incorporate a lot as it would have turned into a documentary, but I have tried to fit in as much as I can in my story.
Not many knew about Kantara even in Karnataka, but the film was appreciated all over.
It sounds good when we say pan-India now, but at the core, we all belong to the same roots. We were tribals who lived near the riverside, near the forests, and we all followed the same rituals. Our profession was agriculture. I belong to a place named Karadi in Uttar Karnataka. Recently, a journalist from Uttar Pradesh called me and said that they followed the same rituals that were shown in the film. We have all evolved over the years, but the core is the same. I am sure that must have appealed to the audience all over.
