Even as Rishab Shetty stays busy with his pan-India commitments after the monumental success of Kantara, his production banner, Rishab Shetty Films, continues to back fresh talents and new voices in Kannada cinema. Over the years, the banner has consistently produced rooted and varied films like Sarkari Hi. Pra. Pra. Shaale, Kasaragodu, Koduge: Ramanna Rai, Katha Sangama, Hero, Pedro, Shivamma, and Laughing Buddha. Continuing that vision, the production house is now backing Shivachiranthanaa's directorial debut.
A seasoned hand behind the camera, Shivachiranthanaa spent a decade in the Kannada film industry as a technician, working across different projects. “I have been working here for the last ten years,” he says. “My first two films were as an assistant director, and after that, I worked as an associate director on about 10 to 11 films with directors like Jayathirtha, Santhosh Ananddram, and Nithin Shetty.”
His association with Rishab began during the making of the detective comedy Bell Bottom, which starred Rishab in the lead role under Jayathirtha's direction. “While working on Bell Bottom, Rishab connected with me,” explains Shivachiranthanaa. “He then asked me to work for Kantara, and I served as an associate director on both chapters.”
Getting into the director's chair under Rishab Shetty’s banner, Shivachiranthanaa’s debut project kicked off with an open casting call that drew a massive response from aspirants. “It was completely overwhelming. We didn’t expect these kinds of numbers,” Shivachiranthanaa shares. “We thought at most 2,000 people might apply, but the count went up to around 6,000. The fact that it is a Rishab Shetty Films production was the main attraction, and there haven’t been many open auditions for newcomers in recent times.”
The team is currently busy with the screening process to finalise the ensemble. “On the first day, we sorted through about 1,000 profiles, and for the third round, it came down to around 600 to 700 candidates,” reveals Shivachiranthanaa. The film is set to feature around 60 actors, with 70 per cent picked directly through the auditions and the remaining cast composed of fresh faces, leaving only minimal space for known actors.
On the acting front, Rishab Shetty is shooting Jai Hanuman with Prasanth Varma. He is reportedly joining hands with Manjummel Boys director Chidambaram for a two-film deal, beginning with a Kannada sports drama.