'Kantara: Chapter 1': Rishab Shetty reveals it took 15-16 drafts to perfect its screenplay for the backstory

Actor-director Rishab Shetty is basking in the positive response to his recently released film ''. Being a traditional and culturally rich film, a lot of effort and hard work were put into it by the makers. Recently, the filmmaker has revealed the steps that went into shaping the of the movie and also revealed the number of drafts it took to finalize the story.

Speaking with IANS at a success party in Mumbai, Rishab Sheety recalled that for 'Kantara: A Legend' they only wrote 3-4 drafts and finished writing in 3-4 months. They then went straight to shoot. "It was very simple," he stated.

High expectations for 'Kantara: Chapter 1'

With the 2022 film becoming a huge blockbuster, high expectations for the now released 'Kantara: Chapter 1' were organically there.

Planning for the backstory

The makers approached the project with complete honesty rather than relying on market trends. He said that there was extensive planning involved in the prequel. "When we did the prequel, we started the discussion with the story of Shiva’s father. We finished that script, the bound script was ready. However, later we understood that the first part needs a backstory, so we thought, "Let's go back a little, let's keep it as a beginning, and let's not keep it as a legend.'"

Finalized full script after 15-16 drafts

Rishab Shetty further explained that once they developed the full backstory, it became clear that the narrative could not be reduced into a small segment. "We finished it, then it became a full script. We then understood that we can't say it in a small part; it's a complete backstory," he said. When asked about the number of drafts, he confirmed, "I think 15-16 narration drafts. Yes, it is almost 15-16 narrations."

Since its release on October 2, 'Kantara: Chapter 1' has been widely praised for its visually stunning cinematography and grand scale.

The film has made over Rs 478.65 crore in 11 days in India as per Sacnilk.