‘It is not easy to make Kantara Chapter 1’: Jr NTR praises Rishab Shetty, says the film would not be made without him

The prequel to Kantara, starring and directed by Rishab Shetty, is set for a grand release on 2 October.

Kantara Chapter 1 is one of the most anticipated films of the year. Expectations are high from the prequel to Kantara, which became a huge hit and fetched Rishab Shetty the National Award for Best Actor. In a pre-release event for the film, the cast and crew were present, along with star Jr NTR. At the event, Jr NTR hailed Rishab for his hard work and passion towards seeing that the film gets made. (Also read: Rishab Shetty did not eat non-veg, wear footwear while shooting bhuta kola portions of Kantara Chapter 1)

Jr NTR and Rishab Shetty during the pre-release event of Kantara Chapter 1.

What Jr NTR said

At the event, Jr NTR went on stage to talk about the film, saying, “I got the opportunity to see firsthand how hard he worked to make Kantara Chapter 1. It is not easy to make Kantara Chapter 1. You must have seen it on social media. He took me to a temple near his hometown, where you have to wade through water to reach it."

‘If it was not for Rishab sir…’

He added, "There's no path to go to the temple there, they made one because they put up a set up there to shoot. It's humanly impossible. If it was not for Rishabh sir, if it was not for the team that he believed it, I really don't think anything would've been possible for Kantara Chapter 1.”

About Kantara Chapter 1

When Kantara was released in 2022, it received critical acclaim and good word of mouth, bringing in a collection of ₹407.82 crore worldwide. Set in pre-colonial Karnataka, the prequel is expected to explore more about the origins of the Bhuta Kola ritual. B Ajaneesh Loknath has composed the film’s music, much like the first part.

Kantara Chapter 1 will be released in theatres on 2 October. Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah, Jayaram and Rakesh Poojari also star in it.