Rishab Shetty opens up on shooting as an actor and director for 'Kantara: Chapter 1': 'I would grab the mic, go to a...'

'Kantara: Chapter 1' is all set to hit theaters soon. Ahead of its release, Rishab Shetty talked about directing the film and acting in it simultaneously. The actor-director shared how he managed to do both on the sets, which was challenging for him. Here's what Shetty shared during a recent interview.

Rishab Shetty talks about being a director and actor on the sets

In an interview with Variety, Rishab Shetty revealed how he switched between actor and director from time to time. The actor shared that in some action sequences that he was performing, there were issues in the background. He said, "Immediately, I would grab the mic, go to a height, and talk to the artists."



Shetty added that switching between actor and director felt "organic" since the character he is playing in the film is "also like that."

Rishab Shetty shares that he came close to death multiple times while shooting for the film
At the trailer launch of the movie in Bengaluru, Rishab Shetty shared that the film team has not slept properly for the last three months due to continuous work. He stated that everyone worked on and supported the project as it was their own film.

He said, "There have been many accidents on the sets that the media reported. In fact, if I count, I was about to die 4 or 5 times during the shoot; the divinity we trust saved me and gave blessings to all of us."

More about 'Kantara: Chapter 1'

The film is a prequel to Rishab Shetty's 2022 hit 'Kantara'. The film is based on the Bhoota Kola tradition, which is prevalent in the state of Karnataka. Apart from Rishab Shetty, the film also stars Rukmini Vasanth, Jayaram, and Gulshan Devaiah, among others.

The film has been scheduled to hit the cinemas on October 2, 2025. In the Hindi belt, the film will clash with Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor's 'Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari', directed by Shashank Khaitan.