Rishab Shetty Breaks Silence On Women’s Portrayal In Kantara Chapter 1
Rishab Shetty’s 2022 blockbuster Kantara was a cultural milestone for Kannada cinema, standing just behind KGF: Chapter 2 in box office success. The film not only won over audiences but also bagged two National Awards, Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Actor for Rishab Shetty. However, despite its acclaim, it faced criticism for its depiction of women, particularly Sapthami Gowda’s character. Now, with Kantara Chapter 1 hitting theatres, Rishab Shetty has addressed these concerns head-on, insisting that women have always played an essential role in his storytelling. Rishab Shetty on Women’s Presence in Kantara Speaking to News18 Showsha, the actor-director rejected the notion that his films are male-dominated. “I don’t agree when you say that Kantara is a man’s world. The character of the mother (played by Manasi Sudhir) in the first film was very prominent. The character of the daiva nartak is key in the story but the mother’s role is also very important," he explained. Recalling the climax of Kantara, he added, “If you remember the climax, when I was performing a dance ritual by embodying a divine spirit, my mother was an integral part of it. She was playing a dhol-like instrument. The daiva nartak could perform the ritual only after taking her blessings. Our film is about the divinity and that’s a superior energy. In the same way, a mother is also synonymous with a superior energy." Exploring Shiva’s Duality Rishab emphasized that the story required Shiva’s rough edges to be highlighted. “The film was about Shiva. He started off as a borderline villainous character and it was important to showcase that in the service of the story. He goes around doing negative activities and he’s fearless. The only person he’s fearful of is his mother. We’ve also shown his vulnerable side in the film. When he sees a bad dream at night, he runs to his mother and sleeps next to her like a child would do," he shared. Strong Female Agency in Kantara Chapter 1 Rishab also pointed to his consistent effort to weave powerful women into his narratives. “I give a lot of important to my female characters in all of my films, since the very beginning. In my opinion, even in Kantara Chapter 1, Kanakavathi’s a very strong character. I think I justify my female characters even in a film where the story revolves around a man. I understand the conversations that had happened. But that’s their perspective. I know that I’ve justified them," he remarked. Backing his vision, Rukmini Vasanth, who plays Princess Kanakavathi in the prequel, said, “It explores feminine energy in its own capacity. Film mein yeh mudde ka exploration hua hai aur baad mein iske baare mein charche honge. It’s always nice to see people discussing and having a dialogue on the themes a film touches upon. The character of Kanakavathi has been written with a lot of depth. The audience will find it interesting to see a female character with so much of agency within the Kantara universe."
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Rishab Shetty’s 2022 blockbuster Kantara was a cultural milestone for Kannada cinema, standing just behind KGF: Chapter 2 in box office success. The film not only won over audiences but also bagged two National Awards, Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Actor for Rishab Shetty. However, despite its acclaim, it faced criticism for its depiction of women, particularly Sapthami Gowda’s character.
Now, with Kantara Chapter 1 hitting theatres, Rishab Shetty has addressed these concerns head-on, insisting that women have always played an essential role in his storytelling.
Rishab Shetty on Women’s Presence in Kantara
Speaking to News18 Showsha, the actor-director rejected the notion that his films are male-dominated. “I don’t agree when you say that Kantara is a man’s world. The character of the mother (played by Manasi Sudhir) in the first film was very prominent. The character of the daiva nartak is key in the story but the mother’s role is also very important," he explained.
Recalling the climax of Kantara, he added, “If you remember the climax, when I was performing a dance ritual by embodying a divine spirit, my mother was an integral part of it. She was playing a dhol-like instrument. The daiva nartak could perform the ritual only after taking her blessings. Our film is about the divinity and that’s a superior energy. In the same way, a mother is also synonymous with a superior energy."
Exploring Shiva’s Duality
Rishab emphasized that the story required Shiva’s rough edges to be highlighted. “The film was about Shiva. He started off as a borderline villainous character and it was important to showcase that in the service of the story. He goes around doing negative activities and he’s fearless. The only person he’s fearful of is his mother. We’ve also shown his vulnerable side in the film. When he sees a bad dream at night, he runs to his mother and sleeps next to her like a child would do," he shared.
Strong Female Agency in Kantara Chapter 1
Rishab also pointed to his consistent effort to weave powerful women into his narratives. “I give a lot of important to my female characters in all of my films, since the very beginning. In my opinion, even in Kantara Chapter 1, Kanakavathi’s a very strong character. I think I justify my female characters even in a film where the story revolves around a man. I understand the conversations that had happened. But that’s their perspective. I know that I’ve justified them," he remarked.
Backing his vision, Rukmini Vasanth, who plays Princess Kanakavathi in the prequel, said, “It explores feminine energy in its own capacity. Film mein yeh mudde ka exploration hua hai aur baad mein iske baare mein charche honge. It’s always nice to see people discussing and having a dialogue on the themes a film touches upon. The character of Kanakavathi has been written with a lot of depth. The audience will find it interesting to see a female character with so much of agency within the Kantara universe."
