Kantara Chapter 1 Press Conference: Rishab Shetty, Pragathi, Rukmini Shine

On September 29, 2025, a press conference for the most-awaited Kannada film of the year, Kantara Chapter 1, was held in Mumbai.

By Priyanka Yadav 03 Oct 2025 in Entertainment

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The highly anticipated Kannada film Kantara Chapter 1 (2025) is set to hit theaters soon. The press conference in Mumbai on September 29 was attended by the film’s lead actor and director Rishab Shetty, his wife Pragathi Shetty, producer Vijay Kiragandur, and actress Rukmini Vasanth.

Rishab Talks About His Struggles

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At the press conference, Rishab Shetty shared his long-standing connection with Mumbai. He recalled his struggling days when he worked as an office boy and driver in the city. Rishab said, "Mumbai is very special to me. Back in 2008, I worked as an office boy in a production house in Andheri West. I was also a producer’s driver. Today, this proves what cinema can do. We have reached here, and with just one film, we have received so much love and respect."

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He added, "I can’t even describe it. I never thought I would reach here. We used to eat vada pav on the streets of Andheri West and never imagined coming this far. But I feel that after 17 years, the cinema we worship like God has brought me here. I am grateful."

Pragathi Shetty Speaks

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Rishab’s wife, Pragathi Shetty, said, "Cinema is life for him. He thinks about it 24x7. This project wasn’t easy—physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. But with God’s blessing and the audience’s love, we have reached here." On personal life, she added, "He is a good husband and father, but only after the movie will there be time for family. He promised last time too, but got fully involved in research for ‘Kantara Chapter 1’."

Rukmini Vasanth Shares Her Experience

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Actress Rukmini Vasanth said, "Kantara is not just a film for us; it is a power. Sir gave me a small part of this power, and I am grateful for it." Talking about the sword fight scenes, she added, "It was more fun than challenging. The instructors taught us body language. Sir told me that the character is complex with many layers. We continuously discussed during the shoot."

Rishab Avoided Non-Veg Food for the Film

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When asked whether it was true that he avoided non-vegetarian food and didn’t wear slippers during the shooting of Kantara Chapter 1, Rishab replied, "Not for the entire film, only for certain scenes. I had never done this before, so I needed mental clarity while doing it. I didn’t want to get entangled in any confusion. I believe in God, and during this period, I limited myself."

Minimal Crew on Set

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He also mentioned that during some parts of the shoot, the number of people on set was kept minimal. "Usually, there are thousands of people on a film set. But I didn’t shoot those parts that way; I was very cautious because I am a believer. I respect everyone’s faith and expect the same in return."

A Deep Connection with October 2

Rishab Shetty shared a personal connection with the film’s beginning and release date. "On October 2, Pragathi and I went to our village with our children. During the first lockdown, we had made a film. In the village, people said the lockdown would continue, work would stop, and businesses wouldn’t function. What would we do next?"

How the Producer-Director Duo Came Together

Rishab explained, "Our first experience was during the lockdown when we made our first film. During the second lockdown, we started working on ‘Kantara’. Producer Vijay Kiragandur offered me the project after watching my last film ‘Sarkari’. He asked me if I had any ideas, and I thought of sharing it with Hombale Films, which had produced big-budget hits like ‘KGF’. I had made a children’s film after my first hit and gained recognition. I asked Vijay sir if he would produce films like mine."

He continued, "Vijay sir said they don’t discriminate; they just make good films, whether the story is big or small. That touched my heart. I called him and narrated the story of ‘Kantara’ in just two minutes, and he immediately agreed to start working on it."

Script Completed in Three Months

Rishab spoke about the script, saying, "I think we completed the film’s script in 3-4 months. But after the release, the Kannada audience gave us so much love. People around the world started talking about how a film like ‘Kantara’ came from our industry." He also thanked producer Vijay Kiragandur and Anil Thadani, who handled the film’s distribution.

Release Date

Kantara Chapter 1 will release in theaters on October 2. The film is written and directed by Rishab Shetty. It will compete at the box office with Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor’s film Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari.

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