Rishab Shetty's Kantara released on September 30 last year, went to be one of the biggest hits of 2022. The Kannada film backed by Hombale Films was later dubbed into multiple languages. The film gained over Rs 450 crores at the box office and got a place in the list Oscar eligible films in the Best Picture and Best actor categories. While there has been appreciation pouring in from various celebrities across India.
Recently Rishab Shetty got overwhelmed by the appreciation letter he received from Kamal Haasan.
In his long letter, Kamal mentioned, "Dear Rishabh, This is a belated letter of appreciation from me for your film 'Kantara'. I should have written this the night after I watched 'Kantara'. But, if I had done that, many things would have been said. Movies like 'Kantara' bloom in our minds. I don't believe in God. However, I have seen and understood the need for it in many people. I truly believe that the gods depicted in most of our mythology lack compassion. As Dravidians, we are a matriarchal society. It is seen in the last scene of your film. Where God acts more like a mother than a father.
I heard about an incident from an admirer of Gandhiji. 'People call you The Father of the Nation. What is your next goal?'' as someone asked Gandhiji. Gandhiji said, 'I want to become the mother of the nation. Because, only mother can give compassion,' he replied.
Other minds discover many subtexts that you did not intend. This gives the artwork a status of excellence. I think you haven't seen MT Vasudevan Nair's movie 'Nirmalayam'. Your film has that classic touch to it. Your cinematic DNA has many ancestors you don't even know about. But, remember that the cinematic language you speak comes from them.
As I told you on the phone, dust off all the records created by 'Kantara' with your next film. Kamal Haasan wrote in his appreciation letter that there is no luck for the deserving."
Sharing a letter of appreciation from Kamal Haasan, Rishab wrote "I am very happy to receive such a loving message from a legend of Indian cinema. I'm very happy to see this surprise gift given by Kamal sir. Thank you sir for sending this gift.”
Kantara starred Sapthami Gowda as the female lead along with Kishore in an important role. The film has music by Ajaneesh Loknath and cinematography Aravind Kashyap handled the cinematography.
