Rishab Shetty, till two years ago was known only in the South film industry, but now is a popular name in India. The reason for it is the success of 'Kantara'. The film, made in just Rs 16 crore, earned over Rs 415 crore worldwide. Rishab Shetty was the writer, director, and actor of 'Kantara' and became super successful after the film was released. However, to succeed, he had to struggle for nearly 20 years. Sometimes he sold water bottles and cans to make a living and sometimes he did odd jobs in hotels. Rishab Shetty entered films as a spot boy.
Rishab Shetty was born in 1983 in the Kadri neighborhood in Mangaluru City of Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka to a Bunt family. He actively participated in plays while studying in Bengaluru and his success there inspired him to pursue a career in films.
Due to his non-filmy background, Rishab Shetty had no idea about the film world, so after a lot of research, he decided to pursue a diploma in film direction along with his studies.
Rishab, who belongs to a middle-class family, did not want to trouble his parents for his studies and living, so he did many small jobs. He worked selling water bottles and cans.
After this, he did a small job in a hotel. He also tried his hand in real estate but his mind was only set on acting. This was the reason that after leaving all the work and earning a diploma in film direction, Rishab decided to enter the film industry.
Rishab started as a spot boy in a film and he was also a clap boy in some films. In 2006, he got a chance to work as an assistant director in the Kannada film 'Cyanide'. The director of this film was MR Ramesh. His first major role was in 'Tuglak' (2012).
Rishab once said about his struggling phase, "I wanted to become an actor, but I was not getting any chance in the industry. I had neither any contacts nor any ideas. I once read about a Kannada actor who started as an assistant director and became a hero after doing side roles. Then I felt that this path would be right for people like us. After my studies, I did a short-term course in filmmaking and started working as an assistant director and after 6-7 years, I turned to acting."
He debuted as a lead actor in the Kannada film 'Bell Bottom' (2019) which was a super hit. However, it was 'Kantara' that forever changed Rishab Shetty's life. In an interview, he revealed how he got the idea for the film during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The year 2022 proved to be a game-changer for Rishab Shetty. It made him a pan-India star. The film 'Kantara' took him to great heights. 'Kantara' earned only Rs 1.27 crore on the first day. When people praised the film after watching it, the earnings gradually increased and reached Rs 415 crores.
The film ran in theatres for almost two months. It also completed 50 days in theatres in Australia and New Zealand. Rishab Shetty is now working on the film's sequel.
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