How 'Kantara' star Rishab Shetty manages to write, act, and direct all at once

Rishab Shetty, the man, the myth, and the legend! How else would you describe someone scripting, acting, and directing films while excelling in all? The man who effortlessly switched hats on the sets of ‘Kantara’ is a wonder to all in Indian cinema. The ‘Kantara’ star is constantly learning, which helps him juggle these demanding roles with finesse and ease. But how exactly does one do it? Let’s take a closer look.

Rishab Shetty approaches all his films as a first-timer

While many filmmakers and performers eventually lose their spark, often weighed down by ego or past successes, Rishab Shetty tries to approach all his films as a fresher. Yes, he carries the lessons he learned from his past films, but his approach is that of a newcomer, with no holds barred. Talking to Hollywood Reporter India during the production of ‘Kantara 2,’ he said, “This is my fifth film; Kantara was my fourth. But even today, it feels like I am making my first film, because this is my first pan-India project. For the first time, I am thinking in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and even Spanish. The scale is bigger, the approach is different. Everything has been pushed to the next level.”

Story comes first

For Rishab Shetty, the story and the screenplay deserve the most attention. If the story is convincing, the chances of the film working well are higher. So when he is writing, directing, and acting, the major focus is on the story. He spends ample time in pre-production, mending every loophole and strengthening the script with every draft. “The growth is in the script itself, in the screenplay, in the characters, in their arcs. You have to explore more, challenge yourself more. But through all of this, my belief remains the same: only the story matters. If I don't believe in the story, I can't make the film,” he told the magazine.

Rishab Shetty firmly believes that a script is the foundation, and if it’s built strong, everything else will fall into place. “If the basement is strong, you can build anything on it. If it's weak, the building will collapse. That's how I look at storytelling. I'm not someone who picks a character and then builds a story around it. For me, the story has to come first.”

How does he juggle roles?

Once the foundation—the story and script—is perfected, Rishab Shetty shifts to the second stage: production. But how does he really juggle these different roles on the set? Being a multi-hyphenate may look wonderful on paper, but it's not much fun on the ground. What’s the secret? He micro-manages, ensuring everything is by the book so there is no space for error. “I'm a micromanager. For Kantara, I brought my team to Kundapura [in Karnataka] and had them stay at a private home instead of a hotel. I held individual narrations with each department, be it from a costume perspective or action choreography. But I let them take a call from a technical standpoint,” the actor-filmmaker told GQ India.

The constant role-switching is no cakewalk, even though Rishab Shetty’s transitions may seem effortless. This switching comes with its own challenges. “In some action sequences I was performing, and at the same time, in the background, there were issues. Immediately, I would grab the mic, go to a height, and talk to the artists. It used to switch immediately between actor and director. But the character I play is also like that — so it felt organic,” the actor told Variety.

He may make it seem seamless, but there is surely a lot of hard work, patience, and clarity that goes into it. Perhaps this is one of the most wonderful things only Rishab Shetty can manage to pull off.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”