Rishab Shetty and the makers of Kantara: A Legend - Chapter 1 have been keeping their main cast members — except for lead actor Rishab himself — under wraps until now. After recently announcing that Rukmini Vasanth is playing the female lead, Hombale Films revealed on Tuesday that Gulshan Devaiah ("Guns & Gulaabs", "Mard ko Dard Nahi Hota") is playing another key character.
The actor plays a character, supposedly a king, named Kulashekara. Rukmini plays a character named Kanakavathi.
In July, Hombale Films announced the completion of the much-anticipated prequel and shared a behind-the-scenes video titled 'World of Kantara' to offer fans a glimpse into the extensive efforts that went into the mammoth production.
Producer Vijay Kiragandur claims Kantara: A Legend - Chapter 1 is their "most ambitious" project to date, in an earlier interview with Variety. "The scale of effort, from the number of shoot days to the sheer volume of manpower, far surpasses anything we’ve previously undertaken. But beyond logistics, this film holds a deeply personal place in our hearts. It’s the kind of cinema we’ve always dreamed of creating," he said.
Kiragandur elaborated that their goal was not only cultural preservation, but also balancing that with emotionally resonant storytelling prowess. Expressing his confidence in Rishab's abilities, the producer shares, “We had full faith in Rishab Shetty, the driving force behind Kantara: A Legend - Chapter 1. Whether it was his acting, writing, or direction, his talent played a pivotal role in shaping everything we created.”
Slated for release on October 2, 2025, Kantara: A Legend - Chapter 1 will be released in Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali and English.