Rakshit Shetty

Rakshit Shetty
Born	Rakshit Shetty (1983-06-06) 6 June 1983 (age 41)
Nationality	Indian
Alma mater	NMAM Institute of Technology
Occupations	Filmmaker actor Producer
Years active	2010–present
Organization	Paramvah Studios
Website	paramvah.com

Rakshit Shetty (born 6 June 1983) ^[1] is an Indian actor and filmmaker working predominantly in Kannada cinema. He is the recipient of a National Film Award, two Filmfare Awards South, two Karnataka State Film Awards and five SIIMA Awards. His debut film is Namm Areal Ond Dina (2010) and got his breakthrough with Simple Agi Ondh Love Story and further shot to fame with the cult Blockbuster Ulidavaru Kandanthe (2014). He established himself as a lead actor in Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu (2015), Kirik Party (2016), Avane Srimannarayana (2019), 777 Charlie (2022), and Sapta Saagaradaache Ello (2023), with 777 Charlie becoming the highest-grossing film of his career. ^[2]

Shetty is often regarded as "Simple Star" for his filmmaking style. ^[3] He owns the production and distribution company named Paramvah Studios.

Early life

Shetty was born in Udupi on 6 June 1983 in a Tulu-speaking Bunt family. ^{[1] [4] [5]} He completed schooling at his hometown and was an avid Pili Nalike dancer, a folk dance in the Tulu Nadu region . ^[6] This experience made him provide a major role for the dancers in his 2014 film Ulidavaru Kandanthe . ^[7]

Before starting his film career, Shetty completed a bachelor's degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering at N.M.A.M. Institute of Technology, Nitte, Karkala which is part of Nitte (Deemed to be University). After graduating, he worked as a software professional for two years before becoming an actor in theatre. ^{[8] [9]}

Career

Debut and breakthrough (2010-2015)

Shetty made his acting debut as a parallel lead with Nam Areal Ond Dina (2010) directed by Aravind Kaushik. The film starred Anish Tejeshwar and Meghana Gaonkar in lead roles. Though the filming was commenced in 2008, the film underwent several struggles and released in July 2010 ^[10] to critical acclaim. due to its non-linear narration. ^[11] Shetty again collaborated with Aravind Kaushik and Meghana Gaonkar in his next release, Tuglak (2012). He essayed the role of "Raaghu", an angry young man, and garnered positive reviews from critics. However, the film was criticized for its screenplay and direction. ^[12]

Shetty's big breakthrough came with the romance-comedy film Simple Agi Ondh Love Story (2013) directed by Simple Suni and co-starred Shwetha Srivatsav. The film turned out to be a major box-office success and and critical success. ^[13] The film's success resulted in stardom for Shetty and he was fondly called "Simple Star." ^[14] Following this success, Shetty debuted as a director and screenwriter neo-noir gangster film Ulidavaru Kandanthe (2014). The film was the first in Kannada to be shot entirely in sync sound technology. Upon release, the movie was praised for its regional authenticity depicting Tulu Nadu and its people. Shetty won the Karnataka State Film Award for Director's First Time Best Film and Filmfare Award for Best Director – Kannada for his direction ^{[15] [16]} The film holds a cult following, and has become a part of a new-age generation of Kannada cinema. ^[17] Following this experience, Shetty performed a cameo role in Suni's directorial Bahuparak with Srinagar Kitty in the lead role. ^[18]

Critical acclaim and continued success (2015-present)

Shetty began the year 2015 by teaming with the popular commercial director Yogaraj Bhat for the satirical comedy film Vaastu Prakaara, co-starring Jaggesh. ^[19] Following this, Shetty appeared in a cameo as himself in the film Jaathre .

In 2016, Shetty played the title role in the romantic thriller Ricky , a directorial debut film of his friend Rishab Shetty. The film was a commercial success and Shetty was appreciated for his powerful performance. This was followed by the critical success Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu (2016). Shetty achieved further success with the 2016 college drama Kirik Party, which he wrote and produced. ^[20] In 2022, Shetty was seen in 777 Charlie , with his co-star, Charlie, a Labrador; Shetty produced 777 Charlie with the direction of Kiranraj K, under Paramvah Studios and opposite with Sangeetha Sringeri. ^[a] It was released on 10 June 2022. The shooting process of this film took more than five years. The film focuses on the relationship between pets and pet lovers. ^[21] In 2023, he starred in Sapta Sagaradaache Ello directed by Hemanth Rao and co-starred Rukmini Vasanth. The film was split into two parts with separate release dates.

Personal life

Shetty began dating his co-star Rashmika Mandanna during the making of Kirik Party, and the couple got engaged on 3 July 2017 in a private ceremony in her hometown of Virajpet. ^[22] The couple mutually broke off their engagement in September 2018, citing compatibility issues. ^[23]

In the media

Shetty at an interview in 2019

Shetty's performance in Ulidavaru Kandanthe is regarded as one of the "100 Greatest Performances of the Decade" by Film Companion. ^[24] He was named the Bangalore Times' Most Desirable Men in 2017. ^[25] Further, Shetty was placed 2nd in 2018, 3rd in 2019 and 11th in 2020. ^{[26] [27] [28]}

Shetty has been credited for having begun a new wave of filmmaking in Kannada cinema. Through his unconventional body of works, he has established himself as a prominent filmmaker in the Kannada film industry. ^{[29] [30]}

Filmography

Key

†	Denotes films that have not yet been released

As actor

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
2010	Nam Areal Ond Dina	Aravind
2012	Tuglak	Raaghu
2013	Simple Agi Ondh Love Story	Kushal
2014	Ulidavaru Kandanthe	Richard "Richie" Anthony
	Bahuparak	Richie	Cameo
2015	Vaastu Prakaara	Kubera
	Jaathre	Himself	Guest appearance
2016	Ricky	Ricky
	Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu	Shiva
	Jigarthanda	Himself	Guest appearance
	Kirik Party	Karna
2019	Padde Huli	Karna	Cameo
	Avane Srimannarayana	Inspector Narayana/Vasudev
2022	777 Charlie	Dharmaraj "Dharma" Dattana
2023	Vasantha Kokila	Bharath	Cameo
	Sapta Saagaradaache Ello - Side A	Manu
	Sapta Saagaradaache Ello - Side B

Other crew positions

Year	Title	Director	Producer	Writer	Lyricist	Presenter	Notes
2014	Ulidavaru Kandanthe	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
2016	Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu	No	No	No	Yes	No
	Kirik Party	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
2018	Humble Politician Nograj	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Katheyondu Shuruvagide	No	Yes	No	No	No
2019	Avane Srimannarayana	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
2020	Bheemasena Nalamaharaja	No	Yes	No	No	No
2021	Ramarjuna	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Garuda Gamana Vrishbha Vahana	No	No	No	No	Yes
2022	Sakutumba Sametha	No	Yes	No	No	No
	777 Charlie	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Gargi	No	No	No	No	Yes
2023	Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare	No	No	No	No	Yes
	Sapta Saagaradaache Ello - Side A	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Sapta Saagaradaache Ello - Side B	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
2024	Bachelor Party	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Ekam	No	No	No	No	Yes	Web series

Accolades

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Rakshit Shetty

Shetty receiving National Film Award from President Droupadi Murmu at the 69th National Film Awards, 2023

Shetty is a recipient of three Filmfare Awards South — Best Director – Kannada for Ulidavaru Kandanthe (2014), Best Actor Critics – Kannada for Kirik Party (2016), and Best Actor – Kannada for Sapta Saagaradaache Ello – Side A & Sapta Saagaradaache Ello – Side B (2023). He also received State Award For Ulidavaru Kandanthe ^{[31] [32]}

Controversies

Regarding the film Kirik Party

Main article: Kirik Party

Lahari Velu, the director of Lahari Music, accused Shetty's banner Paramvah Studios, of copyright infringement when his film Kirik Party was due for release. In his complaint, Velu claimed that the song 'Hey Who Are You' is similar to 'Madhya Raatrili', a Shanti Kranti film song by V. Ravichandran and owned by Velu.

Paramva Studios and the film's music director Ajaneesh Loknath also filed a copyright infringement complaint. Due to these accusations, Shetty was trolled by Rakshit fans. Kirik Party was released without the song, but the film's producers were allowed to reintroduce it after they deposited Rs 10 lakh in court. He claims that he and the makers won the copyright infringement case but never made it public. However, in 2020, a non-bailable warrant was issued against him and Ajaneesh after they failed to appear when the court summoned them.

According to Deccan Chronicle, when asked to respond to the allegations, he denied the allegation and said, "We have not copied even a single note of the song. Hamsalekha and Ravichandran have inspired me since childhood. That's why we dedicated the song to them. We both understand each other's point of view." ^[33]

Regarding the movie Bachelor Party

Main article: Bachelor Party (2024 film)

MRT Music, a renowned music label, accused Shetty and his Paramvah Studios of using two songs 'Nyaya Ellide' and 'Omme Ninannu Kantumbha' from 'Nyaya Ellide' and 'Gaalimaathu' films respectively in the movie without permission. Naveen Kumar, partner of MRT Music, filed a complaint, highlighting that the music was used without proper licence, leading to a copyright infringement case against Rakshit Shetty.

As per a report by Pinkvilla the Delhi High Court took note of the situation and issued a notice to Rakshit Shetty and Paramvah Studios after they failed to appear in court. The court also ordered the immediate removal of the social media post in which the production house defended its actions. The court's ruling on August 12, 2024, concluded that Rakshit Shetty and Paramvah Studios must pay Rs 20 lakh as compensation to MRT Music for the unauthorized use of their songs. ^[34]

Notes

1. Rakshit Shetty established Bangalore Based VFX studio called "Pinaka Studios". /@pinakastudios.com

References

1. "Read about Rakshit Shetty's books of dreams". The Times of India. 27 January 2015. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
2. "Kantara box office: Rishab Shetty's film is 6th biggest Kannada movie ever. See who else in on the list". Hindustan Times. 15 October 2022. Archived from the original on 15 October 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
3. Raghuraman, Shreyas (22 January 2023). "Stars jump borders for South blitz". thefederal.com. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
4. "Bunts Premiere League cricket tourney from May 24". The Times of India. TNN. 22 May 2019. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
5. "Rakshit Shetty, Pruthvi Ambaar, and others pursue Tulu's inclusion in the eighth schedule". The Times of India. 14 June 2021. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
6. Mangalorean, Violet Pereira, Mangaluru Team (11 October 2016). "Incredible stunts at 'Pili Nalike 3', Polali Tigers Emerge Winners". Mangalorean.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
7. R, SHILPA SEBASTIAN (19 February 2018). "Rakshit Shetty reveals how he directed Ulidavaru Kandante". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X. Archived from the original on 15 November 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
8. "Rakshit Shetty is a BE graduate". The Times of India. 7 May 2014. Archived from the original on 24 July 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
9. "Talking Cinema with Rakshit Shetty". themanipaljournal.com. 26 August 2014. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
10. "This Day That Year: 'Nam Areali Ondina' was released in 2010, introducing Meghana Gaonkar to Sandalwood; actress reminisces the days". The Times of India. 23 July 2020. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
11. "Nam Areal Ondina: Fast but not furious". Bangalore Mirror. 23 July 2010. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
12. "Review: Tughlaq is not engaging enough – Rediff.com". Rediff.com. 13 February 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
13. "10 years of 'Simple Agi Ondh Love Story': A film that gave birth to three stars in Sandalwood". Rediff.com. 8 March 2023. Archived from the original on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
14. "Rakshit Shetty completes 10 years in Sandalwood; fellow celebrities wish the actor on the occasion". Rediff.com. 23 July 2020. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
15. "Ulidavaru Kandante clinches three awards". Times of India. 27 June 2015. Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
16. "Rakshit Shetty bagged state award the best debut director award for Ulidavaru Kandante". The Times of India. 24 January 2017. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
17. Shivakuar, S. (18 February 2016). "A cult classic, and then…". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
18. "Bahuparak begins shoot". The Times of India. 15 July 2015. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
19. "Rakshit Shetty: I am scared to act in Yograj Bhat's film". Bangalore Mirror. 6 June 2014. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
20. Khajane, Muralidhara (25 February 2017). "Kirik Party does a Mungaru Male". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
21. Anandraj, Shilpa (29 July 2022). "Rakshit Shetty takes a 'paws' with 777 Charlie". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 15 November 2022.
22. "Rakshit, Rashmika get engaged in Virajpet". Deccan Herald. 4 July 2017. Archived from the original on 13 July 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
23. "Rashmika Mandanna calls of engagement with Rakshit Shetty". indiatoday.com. 9 September 2018. Archived from the original on 3 June 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
24. "100 Greatest Performances of the Decade". Film Companion . Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
25. "Rakshit Shetty is Karnataka's Most Desirable Man of 2017". Times of India. 2 March 2018. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
26. "Presenting The Bangalore Times 30 Most Desirable Men". Times of India. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
27. "Bangalore Times' 30 Most Desirable Men of 2019". Times of India. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
28. "Presenting The 30 Hunks Who Made It To The Bangalore Times' Most Desirable Men Of 2020 List". Times of India. Archived from the original on 30 April 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
29. "Is Rakshit Shetty sandalwood's next superstar?". The New Indian Express. 3 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
30. Barua, Richa (4 January 2017). "Rakshit Shetty the storm that rocked Kannada Film Industry". Asianet. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
31. "Winners of 62nd Britannia Filmfare Awards South". Filmfare. filmfare.com. 27 June 2015. Archived from the original on 6 May 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
32. "Full list of Winners of the 69th SOBHA Filmfare Awards South (Kannada) 2024". Filmfare. 3 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
33. "When Rakshit Shetty Was Almost Arrested After City Court Issued A 'Non-Bailable' Warrant Against Him Over Kirik Party's 'Copyright Violation' Controversy". Koimoi. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
34. "Delhi High Court orders Rakshit Shetty and his Paramvah Studios to pay Rs 20 lakh in copyright dispute". Pinkvilla. Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.

External links

• Rakshit Shetty at IMDb