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Updated Aug 19, 2025 · 20:41
Kannada Cinema News Updated Aug 19, 2025

Rukmini Vasanth on 'Kantara: Chapter 1' casting: I wanted to shout it from the rooftops

Rukmini Vasanth has joined the cast of the highly anticipated Kantara Chapter 1. She received the offer directly from Rishab Shetty after he admired her performance in Sapta Sagaradaache Ello. The actress had to keep the exciting news secret for months before the official announcement. She describes the opportunity as a dream come true and special full-circle moment in her career.

Mumbai, Aug 19

Actress Rukmini Vasanth, who works across Kannada, Tamil and Telugu cinema, has been taken onboard for the upcoming film ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’, and for her, the experience is nothing short of a dream come true.

The actress is celebrated for her nuanced performance in ‘Sapta Sagaradaache Ello’, and is now set to witness the expansion of the ‘Kantara’ universe.

The opportunity came to her early last year, and it left a lasting impression. Talking about the same, she said, “I was approached for this film early last year. That’s when I met Rishab sir, and he shared the story with me. He was very kind and asked if I would like to be part of this project, and honestly, it was a complete dream come true”.

Having earned Rishab Shetty’s admiration after ‘Sapta Sagaradaache Ello’, the casting felt like a full-circle moment for Rukmini.

She further mentioned, “He had been extremely kind to me ever since Sapta came out. He said some very generous things at the premiere, and it meant a lot to me. So, for him to value my work and then offer me a role in a film that’s so anticipated and exciting, it felt really special”.

But while the news filled her with excitement, Rukmini had to hold onto the secret until the right moment, as she said, “I wanted to shout it from the rooftops as soon as it became pakka. It felt like such a daunting yet thrilling opportunity. But I knew it had to be announced at the right time, so in a way, it became this lovely little secret I carried with me”.

“People kept asking me when my next Kannada project was, and I so badly wanted to tell them. Now that it’s finally out, it feels incredibly affirming and beautiful”, she added.

— IANS

Reader Comments

Rohit P

Rishab Shetty knows how to pick talent! After the massive success of first Kantara, expectations are sky high. Hope Chapter 1 lives up to the legacy 🙏

Arjun K

Must have been so difficult to keep this secret for so long! 😄 Her excitement is so genuine. Kannada cinema is getting such quality actors. Waiting eagerly!

Sarah B

While I'm excited about the casting, I hope the sequel maintains the authentic cultural roots that made the first Kantara so special. Sometimes sequels lose that original magic.

Vikram M

Rukmini's journey from Sapta Sagaradaache Ello to Kantara is what dreams are made of! So proud of our Kannada industry talent getting recognition 🌟

Karthik V

The way Rishab Shetty appreciated her work and then cast her - shows how our industry should work! Talent recognizing talent 💯 Booking tickets already!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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