Kantara: Chapter 1 continues to get fabulous response from all over, with actor Jayaram, who plays a prominent role in it, also basking in the glory of its resounding success. In a recent interaction with Asianet News, Jayaram spoke highly of Rishab Shetty, the film's lead actor and director, and his dedication and commitment to the craft. He said, "I don't think that man has slept for three years. Along with his family, he moved completely to Kundapura, where we shot. He had to handle both acting and direction at the same time. In between, he also trained himself in kalaripayattu, did all his gym work, and whatnot. The film is what it is today because of all the homework he did. There's a lot to learn from him."
On Rishab casting him for the role of King Rajashekara, Jayaram said, "I'm a big fan of the first Kantara film, and when he contacted me, he spoke fondly of his days in Kasaragod, watching Malayalam films of Mohanlal, Mammootty, and me. When I asked him why he wanted me for the role, he thoroughly explained the different facets of character. I didn't imagine it to be so strong, but it’s actually the most important part in the film after Rishab's."
Acknowledging concerns from his fans and well-wishers about him doing minor roles in other language films, Jayaram said, "Many are genuinely unhappy about the kind of roles I do in non-Malayalam films, but what often happens is, most of these films are shot over a period of 2-3 years, extending the runtime up to 5-6 hours. Eventually, when they have to shrink it down to under 3 hours, the prominence of our roles gets reduced. However, that's not the case with Kantara, which is made after a lot of research and homework. Everything about my role, including the different looks, was predesigned and sketched, which helped me prepare myself better."
