Attending the global gala where he clinched two of the festival's highest honours—Best Director for Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 and the prestigious Leadership in Cinema Award—Shetty turned heads by eschewing conventional Western tuxedos in favor of a regal, handwoven traditional silhouette rooted in Karnataka.
Decoding the Look: The Gandaberunda Motif & Handwoven Silk
Shetty’s red-carpet appearance drew widespread praise from fashion critics and cinephiles alike for treating regional identity as the ultimate luxury statement:
The Ensemble: The Kantara star donned a tailored black silk-cotton kurta paired with a handwoven ivory pure-silk dhoti accented with a fine gold zari border.
The Gandaberunda Emblem: The defining detail of the outfit was the intricately embroidered Gandaberunda motif adorning the kurta. The mythical two-headed bird, historically associated with the Vijayanagara Empire and the state emblem of Karnataka, symbolizes strength, resilience, and divine balance.
Grooming & Presence: Completing the ensemble with his signature dense beard, styled mustache, and classic leather footwear, Shetty’s presence struck a fine balance between royal poise and contemporary red-carpet refinement
Double Victory at IFFM for 'Kantara'
Beyond the fashion spotlight, Shetty had a milestone evening celebrating the worldwide footprint of Kannada cinema:
"Deeply honoured to receive the Best Director Award for 'Kantara: Chapter 1' and the Leadership in Cinema Award at IFFM. These honours belong to my entire team, Kannada cinema, and the culture and traditions that inspire our stories. Heartfelt gratitude."
— Rishab Shetty, via Instagram
Speaking to the international festival audience about the challenging journey of crafting the folklore-driven epic, Shetty reflected on the immense risk and faith behind bringing coastal Karnataka’s Daiva traditions to a worldwide platform:
"Kantara was a risk for us to execute... We just went with the flow, and the Deva helped us reach this point and complete this film," he shared during his acceptance speech.
Trade Verdict:
By bringing native Indian handlooms and regional motifs to prominent international stages, Rishab Shetty continues to reinforce the philosophy that made Kantara a global phenomenon: the more deeply rooted a story and its creator are in local heritage, the more universal their impact becomes.
