AP High Court Serious Serious Questions to YS Jagan Govt over AP 3 Capital Bill | Amaravathi

Before the release of Kantara, Rishab Shetty was largely unfamiliar to audiences outside Karnataka, even though he had already built a solid reputation as a director and actor in the Kannada film industry. That perception changed dramatically in 2022 when Kantara turned into a cultural and box-office phenomenon. Within just two weeks of its release, the film created waves in the Telugu and Hindi markets, eventually going on to collect over ₹410 crore worldwide.

The momentum only grew stronger with Kantara 2, which hit screens in 2025 and reportedly doubled the success of its predecessor, amassing more than ₹800 crore at the box office. The back-to-back blockbusters firmly positioned Rishab Shetty as a pan-Indian force.

Riding high on this success, Shetty has been signing major projects across industries. He has already locked in two high-profile Telugu films — Jai Hanuman, to be directed by Prasanth Varma, and another big-budget venture under Sithara Entertainments. In addition, industry buzz suggests that he may headline a Hindi film based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji, further expanding his national footprint.

According to trade circles, the Kantara phenomenon has significantly boosted his market value, with reports claiming that Rishab Shetty is now commanding a remuneration of around ₹80 crore per film. With his expanded reach and rapidly growing fan base, he is said to be firm on his fee, showing little willingness to compromise on his remuneration.