Rishab Shetty, recently honored with a National Award for Best Actor for his role in Kantara, has stirred controversy with remarks about Bollywood’s portrayal of India. In an interview, Shetty criticized Bollywood for depicting India negatively and praised regional films for their positive representation of the nation.
However, his comments drew backlash on social media after users highlighted scenes from Kantara that some found problematic. A Reddit post shared a clip of Shetty’s character pinching co-star Sapthami Gowda’s waist and another scene of voyeurism, which led to criticisms about the normalization of sexual harassment in Indian cinema.
Despite the controversy, Shetty expressed his gratitude for the National Award, acknowledging the efforts of his team and the support from Hombale Films. Released in 2022, Kantara is set in Dakshina Kannada and features Shetty as a Kambala champion in conflict with a forest officer.
