Rishab Shetty, a well-known actor, participated in an ancestral home tradition based at an ancestral home in the Udupi district while visiting an area where the devotee experiences a mixture of dedication and culture.
Today they performed with life energy from Kunitha Bhajana and Yakshagana, a vow that the family has had for a long. It was staged at Keradi village in the Byndoor region, near to the location of the Shetty family's ancestral home. The ritual was promised via a series of vows (harake), the family said, and was set to take place last May.
But Shetty has been filming his critically acclaimed film Kantara, which set the date back. When the actor became available, the family fulfilled the vow and organised traditional performances, as well as local cultural teams to perform Kunitha Bhajana, a devotional dance form featuring music, singing and rhythmic steps for prayer.
The day also featured Yakshagana, as with the legendary Maranakatte Mela, adding drama and mythology to the evening. There was no humour with the bhajana performers dancing and singing as the party played on; Rishab Shetty himself joined in the singing. It drew people and followers; they were the rare cultural entertainment, and they saw the actor's commitment to the old way of life. It was a time of ritual, music and cultural pride as the local traditional culture of coastal Karnataka was a treasure to behold.
They serve as a spiritual obligation, but they also preserve ancient art forms, such as Yakshagana, by social patronage. Interestingly, it was also a quietly promotional occasion for Shetty's forthcoming project, Jai Hanuman. Teams participating in the Kunitha Bhajana teased special events, since filming of the movie was in the approaching months and T-shirts with the movie’s logo adorned the walls of the arena.
This hybrid of traditional and promotional made a buzz for the movie (and preproduction) long before it was on the big screen. The star actor, Kantara, is known throughout the country and has frequently spoken of his bond with local culture. Even as he becomes more notable for wearing a robe and a robe-waiting, his repeated participation in such a custom is a reminder of his dedication to his origins.
To shoot Jai Hanuman is part of the religious graduation celebration for Rishab Shetty and his family; it's a spiritual celebration to them. It also serves as a powerful reminder that traditions still matter today as a bridge between the past and the present. Shetty was recognised, feted and shared on social media, and this event furthered his reputation as one of the leading promoters of Karnataka’s vibrant heritage.
