When Arjun Raj speaks about his journey, it feels like destiny unfolding. Today, he stands tall among the most sought-after action choreographers in Kannada cinema. And with Kantara Chapter 1, he has stepped into one of the grandest arenas yet.
But if his father, Anand Raj, a well-known fighter in Kannada films, had his way, Arjun would never have entered this world of bruises, risks, and uncertainty.
“My father wanted me to study and stay away from cinema. He had seen the injuries, the instability, the risks. But I was drawn to it. At first, I wanted to be an actor. He told me, ‘Learn action, it will help you.’ I listened. Somewhere along the way, what was meant to be a stepping stone became my life.”
From Coffee Counters to Colossal Sets
Arjun’s early path was far from glamorous. “I passed my 10th standard but didn’t show much interest in academics. To support myself, I worked at a cafe while training in action on the side. I even went to Chennai to sharpen my craft. For a long time, my father didn’t approve. He thought cinema wasn’t safe. But action gave me an identity — and slowly, he became my biggest confidant.”
17 years later, with more than a hundred films behind him, Arjun has progressed from being a body double to working with major actors, and from assisting masters to designing some of the most daring stunts in Kannada cinema. His latest? The breathtaking action in Rishab Shetty’s Kantara Chapter 1 — a prequel set a thousand years before the 2022 blockbuster that gripped the nation.
Entering Kantara Chapter 1
When the offer came, Arjun almost didn’t believe it. “I wasn’t part of the project in the beginning. This was a massive canvas, and honestly, I thought I might not enter that league. I was in Varanasi when I prayed to be part of something huge. A few days later, I got the call. Initially, they wanted me for just one sequence. Later, they handed me four. Call it destiny, call it divine blessing — it happened.” Arjun choreographed four major sequences, while the duo of Ram-Lakshman handled one, and Hollywood stunt director Todor Lazarov contributed to the war scenes.
Designing the Fights
Unlike regular action films where references are plenty, Kantara Chapter 1 demanded originality rooted in history and myth. “This story is set a thousand years ago. You can’t just copy-paste from existing action films. Every move had to feel organic to that time. For instance, we had a massive carriage sequence. It wasn’t just a prop; it was part of a high-speed chase involving Rishab and more than a thousand junior artists. That became the riskiest stunt I’ve ever designed," he says.
Then came a huge war sequence, the pre-climax, and the climax. “If the carriage fight was the riskiest, the war sequence was the most emotionally charged,” Arjun says. “The pre-climax battle is my personal favourite. It wasn’t just about swords clashing — it had emotion, loss, and triumph in every movement. The heartbeat of it all was Rishab’s performance. Every fight was elevated because of his energy.”
He points out another key detail: “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 was 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.”
Scale, Trust, and Precision
Action of this scale requires more than skill; it demands trust. “The production house Hombale Films gave us a free hand. We worked with sketches, miniatures, and rehearsals before involving junior artists and the main actors. Each major sequence had at least six days of prep. Every fight consumed a lot of investment, touching a crore per day, and a lot of time. For example, we took 25 days to nail that carriage fight sequence, an additional six days for prep, and 15 days of rehearsals. Every bit of it was dedicated to just that one stretch.”
Another first was introducing a Twisting Rig imported from Germany. “As far as I know, this is the first time it’s being used in Indian cinema. I had to learn it myself. It opened a whole new dimension in staging action. In Hollywood, rigging is common practice, but bringing it into such a rooted story was a fresh challenge. Safety, balance, and believability was a delicate mix.”
The scale was staggering: 100 trained fighters on set daily, plus thousands of extras. “It was a logistical nightmare, but also one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. In the end, we weren’t just designing fights, we were reviving fragments of history, culture, and our roots. That’s what makes Kantara different.”
Looking Back, Moving Forward
As the conversation winds down, Arjun circles back to his father. “My father taught me resilience. Though he didn’t want me to enter the cinema, he gave me the spirit to be here." For Arjun, Kantara Chapter 1 is his grandest project yet: “We have our own roots, our own stories, our own legends, and Kantara Chapter 1 will show the world just how powerful Indian action can be.”