When Kannada actor Rishab Shetty started working on ‘Kantara’ (2022), little did he know that the film would one day win him a National Award. Apart from being its lead actor, Shetty is also the writer and director of this critically acclaimed film. However, very few know that Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar was Shetty’s first choice to play the lead character Shiva in the film.

In an interview given after the release of the film, Shetty told how excited he was when Rajkumar narrated the script of the film to him. But due to his busy schedule, Rajkumar could not do this project.

“All this happened in the blink of an eye,” Rishabh Shetty said. ZoomHe said, “As soon as I narrated the story to him, he got very excited about the project. He wanted to explore different stories. But, his other projects kept keeping him away from ‘Kantara’. One day, he called me and asked me to work on the film without him. He told me that if I waited for him, I would not be able to do the film that year.”

Rishab further revealed that he wanted Puneeth to master the coastal Karnataka dialect to do justice to his character in Kantara. However, their collaboration could not take off and Shetty later decided to act in his film.

Shetty also recalled meeting Rajkummar during a film. auspicious time (a ceremony to mark the start of a project), just two days before his death. There, the ‘Rajkumar’ actor had enquired about the progress of ‘Kantara’: “He asked me about the project and asked me not to compromise on my vision for the film. I showed him some still pictures from the shoot. He was very happy for me. And he told me that he was looking forward to seeing the film.”

Puneeth Rajkumar, known to his fans as Appu, died of cardiac arrest in Bengaluru on October 29, 2021. He started his career as a child artist, and won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist for his role in ‘Bettaada Hoovu’. Some of his famous films include ‘Appu’, ‘Abhi’, ‘Veera Kannadiga’, ‘Akash’, ‘Ajay’, ‘Milana’, ‘Ram’ and ‘Jackie’. His last film ‘Gandhada Gudi’ was released posthumously.

Talking about ‘Kantara’, Rishab Shetty is currently shooting for the film’s prequel ‘Kantara Chapter 1’. Watch the teaser of the film here:

In March, a source close to the project told IndiaToday.in, “Rishabh has begun prepping for his character. He will be seen in a very different avatar and physique in the film. It will definitely be different from what you saw in Kantara. A massive set has been erected in his (Rishabh’s) hometown. The people there have been very supportive and are excited about the film. It has been his dream to make this film and since Kantara has received so much love from the audience, he is even more excited to show the prequel to his fans and audiences.”

The source further added, “‘Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1’ will go on the floors in full swing from next month. It will shed light on the formative experiences and defining moments that shaped the protagonist’s journey, and provide a deeper understanding of the character’s motivations and complexities.”

‘Kantara’, which released on September 30, 2022, enthralled the audience with its gripping storyline, power-packed performances, and breathtaking cinematography. After emerging as a huge success in the Kannada film industry, the film was released in Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi languages, where it continued to do great business.

The release date and other details of ‘Kantara Chapter 1’ are yet to be released by the makers.