Kantara-Chapter 1 casting call draws enthusiastic response of 25,000 applicants

Filmmaker Rishab Shetty and team Kantara - Chapter 1, under Hombale Films, recently finalised over 15 individuals from among 1000 applicants across India for the directorial department. The film, starring Rishab Shetty, is yet to complete its casting. Meanwhile, the makers, who had garnered attention with the film's first look, made a casting call and sought male actors aged 30 to 60 and female actors 18 to 60, drawing an enthusiastic response of over 25,000 applicants. The writer-director, sharing insight on this, emphasised the presence of potential talents and key performers among these applicants.

"We've received 25000 applications from various aspiring talents, including those from theater backgrounds, coming across from different regions," shared the filmmaker. "Our team of 10 is currently sifting through the serious applicants, which will take about a week. Sorting through the several entries involves filtering out those primarily driven by craze rather than genuine interest. Identifying fresh potential amidst this vast pool is quite a challenge." he says.

Recalling this process to their experience with Kirik Party, where they received 2000 applicants, he noted the exceptional increase in aspiring actors this time, and equally, they are aiming for a substantial cast for Kantara-Chapter 1.

The makers are yet to finalise the female lead. While they have been looking for noted faces, they equally seek a newcomer whose suitability for the role matches their criteria. "This meticulous selection process will apply to various characters in the film, depending on the applicants' skills, which can be seen in the final audition rounds."

Kantara Chapter 1, the period drama will have music by Ajaneesh Loknath and cinematography by Aravind Kashyap.