Kantara Chapter 1 star Rishab Shetty reacts to craze of Hrithik Roshan: 'Getting tickets were so difficult'
Rishab Shetty has been getting overwhelming responses for his latest film, Kantara Chapter 1. During a recent interview, the actor-director opened up about the craze of Hrithik Roshan.
Last Updated: 08.24 AM, Oct 08, 2025
Rishab Shetty is an Indian actor, director, and film producer who primarily works in Kannada cinema. He has been grabbing all the headlines recently, post the release of his latest film, Kantara Chapter 1. The film has created a storm at the box office. Amid this, Rishab opened up about the craze of Greek God Hrithik Roshan and recalled how it was difficult to get his tickets back in those days.
Rishab Shetty on Hrithik Roshan
In a new interview with India Today, Rishab Shetty discussed the craze of Hrithik Roshan, who is popularly known as the Greek God. Shetty recalled, "His first film came to the theater of Kundapur, and I think I was in POC. The film of such a beautiful boy. I watched Hrithik's first film in theatres. Packed house, tickets were hard to get! His looks and dance moves left me mesmerized. The Hrithik craze was real from day one!"
About Kantara Chapter 1
Kantara: Chapter 1 is a prequel set in 300 CE that explores the origins of the divine spirit and the Bhoota Kola ritual that features in the original film. The plot centers on the clash between Berme (Rishab Shetty), a warrior from the sacred Kantara forest village, and Kulasekhara (Gulshan Devaiah), the ambitious prince of the Kadamba kingdom, who seeks to control the forest's resources.
The film's themes include the interconnected relationship between humanity and nature, the search for divine justice, the corrupting nature of power and pride, and the birth of a sacred covenant.
Kantara has been performing amazingly at the box office, and it has already earned a total of Rs. 290.25 crore as of now.
Reviewing the film, Riteish Deshmukh wrote, "Watching #KantaraChapter1 in IMAX - was truly a larger than life Indian movie viewing experience. @shetty_rishab you are just phenomenal in everything you do, be it as an actor, a writer and a director, your performance is one that will inspire generations- what I watched was nothing short of magic- top notch vfx, action, ace cinematography, thrilling BGM, sound design, production design @rukminitweets what an incredible actor you are - more power to you!!"
On the other hand, Anupam Kher also praised the film and called the experience 'speechless.'
Kantara Chapter 1 cast
The cast features Rishab Shetty as Berme, Gulshan Devaiah as Kulasekhara, Rukmini Vasanth as Kanakvathi, Jayaram as King Vijayendra, and Rakesh Poojary. The film is directed by Rishab Shetty and is successfully running in theaters.
FAQs
Q. Are Kantara and Kantara: Chapter 1 the same?
A. No, they are separate films in the same franchise, both written and directed by Rishab Shetty. Kantara released in 2022, while Kantara: Chapter 1 is expected to hit theatres on October 2, 2025. Chapter 1 is the prequel of the original film and is supposedly an exploration of the origin of the Panjurli Daiva, among others.
Q. What is the run-time of Kantara Chapter 1?
A. Kantara Chapter is 2 hours and 47 minutes in total run-time.
Q. Where can one watch Kantara Chapter 1?
A. Kantara Chapter 1 will be in theatres across the world from October 2, 2025. Subsequently, it will head to Amazon Prime Video on October 30, 2025, in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam.
Q. Whose avatar is Panjurli Daiva?
A. Panjurli Daiva is considered an avatar of Lord Vishnu in his Varaha incarnation. Panjurli, according to folklore, was a wild boar, who was slain by Lord Shiva and then revived to become a divine protector.