Rishab Shetty won the Best Director award for Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 and received the Leadership in Cinema Award at IFFM 2026. He dedicated the honours to his team, Kannada cinema and the culture and traditions inspiring his storytelling

Rishab Shetty will receive the Leadership in Cinema Award at IFFM 2026 for showcasing the cultural and spiritual heritage of coastal Karnataka through the Kantara franchise. He said storytelling is his way of celebrating culture and traditions