Kantara Chapter 1 Star Rishab Shetty Reacts To Ram Gopal Varma's Praise For Film: Bachpan Se Unka Kaam... - EXCLUSIVE

Rishab

Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1 hit theatres on October 2, 2025, and has received a powerful response at the box office during its opening days. The film has garnered praise from notable celebrities like Yash, Prabhas, and Sandeep Reddy Vanga, who shared their positive reviews on social media. Recently, renowned filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma commended Rishab Shetty for his remarkable vision behind Kantara: Chapter 1. Now, in an exclusive chat with Zoom, Rishab Shetty has reacted to RGV praising his film. He also revealed that Ram Gopal Varma has inspired him since childhood.

Rishab Shetty reacts to Ram Gopal Varma praising Kantara Chapter 1

In an interview with Times Now Editor-in-Chief Navika Kumar, Rishab Shetty responded to filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma's high praise for Kantara: Chapter 1, where Varma remarked that Shetty had "taught people how to make films."Reacting humbly to the compliment, Rishab said in Hindi, "Main ek bachcha hu film industry main, wo itne bade legend hai aur itne bade bade films kiyein aur hum bachpan se unka kaam dekhte aayein hai. Unka (film praise karna) ek bohot badi baat hai - toh main accept bhi nahi karta hu. Wo film dekh ke excitement main unhone mujhe call kiya tha, lekin sari industry ko legends, seniors ko jo hum dekhte hai - unke inspiration main hum aaye hai (industry main). So, wahi follow karta hu main. Mujhe kuch competition record ye sab kuch nahi hai mere dimag main." ALSO READ: Rishab Shetty Heaps Praise On Yash, Prabhas; Recalls How They 'Inspired' Him To Dream Bigger(Translation: I’m still a child in the film industry, while he’s a legend who has made iconic films. We’ve grown up watching his work, so for him to praise Kantara is a huge thing - I can hardly even accept it. After watching the film, he called me out of excitement. But honestly, all of us in the industry, especially people like me, are here because we were inspired by legends and seniors like him. That’s what I follow. I don’t think in terms of competition or records — those things don’t exist in my mind.)

Rishab on distancing himself from success of Kantara Chapter 1

When asked if he has distanced himself from fame and whether worldly achievements hold little meaning for him, especially given his devotion to Lord Shiva, Rishab offered a grounded perspective. With a smile, he replied, “You’re saying it’s a record, but that doesn’t really belong to the film industry. It doesn’t belong to an actor, director, or production house. It belongs to the audience, the people who love the film. They are the ones who decide how much a film earns and what records it sets. It’s all in their hands.”

Ram Gopal Varma's praise for Kantara Chapter 1

Previously, Ram Gopal Varma wrote, "To be frank, you are not a cinema LOVER, sir, but you are a cinema FU***R, because you FU***D all of us FILMMAKERS by showing us how to really make CINEMA with your MAGNUM OPUS #KantaraChapter1. You pioneered a movement of DISRUPTION leading to CONSTRUCTION, which basically means a NEW kind of FU***G leading to a NEW BIRTH-a NEW KIND of CINEMA-and all of us concerned are having a CINEMATIC MEGA ORGASM."

About Kantara Chapter

Kantara: Chapter 1 is set during the Kadamba period, a golden era in Karnataka known for its cultural and architectural contributions. Directed by Rishab Shetty, who co-wrote the film with Anirudh Mahesh and Shanil Guru, it stars Rishab Shetty, Jayaram, Rukmini Vasanth, and Gulshan Devaiah in lead roles.