Rishab Shetty revealed his deep admiration for Malayalam star Mohanlal, considering him like family. He also shared that the late Puneeth Rajkumar was initially considered for the lead role in ‘Kantara’. Despite Puneeth’s packed schedule, he showed enthusiasm for the project before his untimely passing.
Rishab Shetty has always enjoyed a strong following, especially after the success of ‘Kantara’. But the actor also has his own favourites within the film industry. Earlier in 2025, he revealed in a Kerala press conference that his all-time favourite actor is the late Puneeth Rajkumar.
Strong emotional bond with this Malayalam star too
Rishab also expressed profound admiration for Malayalam superstar Mohanlal. He described it in emotional terms. “I am a huge fan of Mohanlal. Whenever I see Lalettan, I feel he is like one of our own. He feels like a relative to me. There is a strong emotional bond between us.” He went on to add that Mohanlal felt like a family member. Rishab said, “My all-time favourite actor in Kannada cinema is Dr. Rajkumar, but when I watch Lalettan in Malayalam films, I feel a sense of pride, as if he is from my own place. I even shared a post on social media through my team congratulating him immediately after hearing the news of the award.”Rishab also recalled a special moment. “I once met Lalettan at Kollur Mookambika temple and have shared the photograph taken at that moment.”
Puneeth Rajkumar was first considered for ‘Kantara’s lead
An interesting detail that resurfaced is how Puneeth Rajkumar was once considered for the role of Shiva in Kantara.Rishab had revealed in an old interview with Masth Cinema YouTube channel that he first wanted to play the character himself. But he later realised that Puneeth could enhance the scale and vision of the project. “I felt besides me, Appu sir will fit the role beautifully. Especially in the scenes of the buffalo race. But, I was particular about one thing. I wanted Appu sir to master the coastal Karnataka dialect. I was wondering whether he will allot so much time at such short notice,” he said.At the time, Puneeth was committed to several projects, including Hombale Films’ Dvitva. Yet he showed excitement about Kantara when producer Vijay Kiragandur approached him. He was willing to prepare for the dialect. But the packed schedule made the collaboration difficult.
Why Puneeth Rajkumar could not join the film
Rishab explained how the circumstances changed quickly. “It all happened in a blink of an eye. Soon after I narrated the story to him, he got very excited about the project. He wanted to explore different stories. But, his other projects continued to keep him away from Kantara. One day, he called me and asked me to go ahead with the film without him. He told me that if I waited for him, I may not be able to do the film that year.”Rishab later met him during an event for ‘Bajarangi 2’ after completing Kantara’s first schedule. “He enquired me about the project and asked me not to compromise on my vision for the film. I showed him a few still pictures from the shoot. He was very happy for me. And he told me he was eager to watch the film.”On October 29, Puneeth passed away due to cardiac arrest. The loss shook the industry. On Kannada Rajyotsava, the Karnataka government conferred the Karnataka Ratna on him posthumously. The event in Bengaluru was attended by superstars Rajinikanth and Jr NTR.
