'Rishab Shetty didn’t use body double for performing stunts in Kantara Chapter 1, says film's action director

Rishab Shetty in the poster of Kantara Chapter 1.

National Award-winning actor Rishab Shetty is gearing up for the release of his much-awaited prequel to the superhit Kannada movie 'Kantara.' Now the film's action director has said that the actor did all his heavy-duty stunts on his own and didn’t use a body double.

The action director of Hombale Films' upcoming film Kantara: Chapter 1 recently revealed that the actor has performed all the stunts bare-bodied.

“We didn’t use body doubles for Rishab. He performed bare-bodied, with a body language so distinct no dupe could replicate it. He trained in Kalaripayattu, sword fighting, and horse riding. Still, the risks he took were out of pure willpower. I’ve worked with many actors, but Rishab doesn’t stop at ‘I’ll try my best.’ He says, ‘I’ll do it till I am alive.’ That spirit changes everything," he said.

The highly anticipated Kantara: Chapter 1 is one of the most awaited films of the year 2025.

Kantara, which was released in the year 2022, was seen as the biggest sleeper hit with record-breaking box office numbers and now its prequel promises to take the legacy forward.

Since the film is being touted as the biggest film of the year, Rishab Shetty is leaving no stone unturned to give his best and has performed his stunts by himself without any body double.

Kantara: Chapter 1 is one of Hombale Films’ most ambitious undertakings. The creative team includes music director B. Ajaneesh Loknath, cinematographer Arvind Kashyap, and production designer Vinesh Banglan, all of whom have shaped the film’s powerful visual and emotional narrative.

The makers have curated an extensive war sequence for Kantara: Chapter 1 with national and international specialists, involving over 500 skilled fighters and featuring 3,000 people.

This sequence was filmed in an entire town spanning 25 acres on rugged terrain over a period of 45–50 days, making it one of the biggest sequences in the history of Indian cinema.

Scheduled for a worldwide release on October 2, the film will release in Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali, and English, reaching audiences across languages and regions while remaining deeply rooted in its cultural core.

With Kantara: Chapter 1, Hombale Films continues to push the boundaries of Indian cinema, promising a deeply immersive experience that celebrates folklore, faith, and cinematic excellence.