Rishab Shetty’s Advice For Bollywood Filmmakers Is To Focus On The Sentiments Of The Audience; Says, ‘We Make Film For Audience, Not Ourselves’

Rishab Shetty has become a household name after delivering his successful venture, Kantara. According to him the movie was a success at the box office and the audience can’t stop raving about it because of how the movie was packaged. The story of the movie is deeply rooted in his culture, which is from coastal Karnataka. Rishab, who has both directed and starred in the movie, has opened up about why a movie like Kantara would never be remade in other languages.

During an interview with Hindustan Times, Rishab shared that the main crux of the movie is its packaging, where it is based, and whether it is deeply rooted in culture. A simple story consisting of a hero, a villain, with romance can be lauded by the audience if filmmakers can create a feel that the audience can connect to, the movie would work at the box office.

He said, "If you look at Kantara, it is a simple story. There is a hero, there is a villain, we have romance, and the regular stuff. What is new is the background, the layers, and the packaging. All this comes together to create the film’s feel. This is my village’s story, something I have seen since I was a kid, so I presented it. I always say ‘more regional is more universal’. So, if a filmmaker can find this feel, this culture in their region and present and package the story, then maybe it may work." ALSO READ: WHAT? Rishab Shetty RECALLS Doing Hotel Work And Selling Water Cans For 10 Years Before Getting His First Movie As A Director

What he means by ‘more regional is more universal’ is that the more a filmmaker is connected to their roots and focuses on their strengths, the stronger their chances are of appealing to a larger audience. He commented that this is something the Bollywood filmmakers are forgetting these days. He shared that a filmmaker makes content for the audience, so they need to remember the audience’s sentiments while making a movie or a web series. He further shared that Bollywood right now is influenced by western culture, which the audience is already watching in Hollywood. ALSO READ: Rishab Shetty Has Fanboy Moment As He Meets Rajinikanth After Kantara's Success! Touches His Feet And Takes Blessings

He shared, "We make the film for the audience, not for ourselves. We need to keep them and their sentiments in mind. We need to see what their values and way of life are. We were there before we were filmmakers. But now, too much western influence and consumption of Hollywood and other content has led to filmmakers trying to do the same in India. But why are you trying that? People are already getting that in Hollywood, and they are doing it better in terms of quality, storytelling and performances."

He went on to share that people are getting a dose of content from all over the world in different languages through OTT platforms, and Indian filmmakers should focus on stories deeply rooted in Indian culture.

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