Rishab Shetty’s SIIMA Journey Comes Full Circle with Another Best Actor Win for Kantara: Chapter 1

Rishab Shetty’s association with Kantara and the South Indian International Movie Awards has come full circle. Three years after winning Critics’ Best Actor – Kannada and Best Director – Kannada at SIIMA 2023 for Kantara, the actor-filmmaker has returned to the awards stage to win Best Actor – Kannada for Kantara: Chapter 1.

The 14th edition of the South Indian International Movie Awards began on Saturday, celebrating achievements across Telugu and Kannada cinema. Among the evening’s notable Kannada winners was Rishab Shetty, who added another major SIIMA honour to his growing list of accolades for the Kantara universe.

The win is particularly significant given how closely Rishab’s SIIMA journey has mirrored the evolution of the franchise. In 2023, Kantara emerged as one of the major Kannada successes at SIIMA, with Rishab taking home both Critics’ Best Actor – Kannada and Best Director – Kannada for the film.

Now, with Kantara: Chapter 1, he finds himself being recognised once again, this time for his performance in the latest chapter of the cinematic universe he has built from the ground up.

The latest honour further reinforces Rishab’s standing as an actor-filmmaker who has successfully taken a deeply rooted Kannada story and connected it with audiences far beyond its original cultural landscape. His journey with Kantara has been marked by critical acclaim and growing recognition across national and international platforms.

Earlier this year, Rishab was also honoured at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, where he won Best Director for Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 and received the Leadership in Cinema Award.

From winning Critics’ Best Actor and Best Director for Kantara in 2023 to taking home Best Actor for Kantara: Chapter 1 in 2026, Rishab’s latest SIIMA win is more than another award it marks a fitting continuation of a journey that has evolved with every chapter.