Kantara Chapter 1: Rukmini Vasanth Opens Up On Playing Villain in Rishab Starrer; Says 'That Was Terrifying'

Rukmini Vasanth says playing the main villain in Kantara Chapter 1 felt terrifying at first, yet the decision later drew strong praise and highlighted range that many viewers had not seen earlier in Rukmini's career. The Kannada period drama, released last year, went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of 2025, and Rukmini's negative character became a talking point, especially as Rukmini had been acting professionally for barely five years when the offer arrived.

Rukmini Vasanth and Kantara Chapter 1 villain role

Rukmini, now 29, recalls the first phone call about the film as a mix of joy and shock. "It was quite a difficult decision at that point. Kantara was a really exciting film to even be offered, obviously. Rishab Shetty sir called me about it, and I was over the moon. Then he said 'by the way, you are the bad guy!' I felt overwhelmed as there are pre conceived notions you hear around you."

The actor notes that such notions rarely come as direct warnings, but still shape choices. "It's not like anyone consciously tells you 'you don't do this kind of roles' or 'do only this kind of role'… but you hear that one should always stay in a particular kind of zone. So it felt little stressful," Rukmini said about that stage.

Rukmini Vasanth, Kantara Chapter 1 and industry pressures

For Rukmini, the bigger conflict lay in balancing that stress with belief in the film. "To kind of step out of that (stress) and decide 'This is an integral project, I would like to be involved in whatever capacity, even if it's the antagonist'… that step was terrifying before it was taken," Rukmini said, describing how the team convinced Rukmini.

Once shooting finished, Rukmini tried to put those doubts aside. "And then I didn't think about it anymore for a year, until we got closer to the time of release where those anxieties popped up again. Yes, it had made me a much better human, experienced actor, but is this going to affect the rest of my work?" Rukmini admitted.

Rukmini Vasanth, Kantara Chapter 1 reception and future roles

The box-office success changed that mood quickly, as reviews highlighted how comfortably Rukmini handled a darker, layered antagonist, and conversations around the film often mentioned that a female actor had been trusted with such a part so early in Rukmini's journey.

Rukmini feels audience reaction helped challenge quiet rules around casting. "People were appreciating the fact that female actors can take on films and roles with multiple shades. That has been very encouraging. Once the audience likes it, you don't need to stress that much." The response, Rukmini says, eased earlier worries about long-term impact.

Rukmini's recent confirmation for Yash's film Toxic, after months of speculation, has further strengthened the sense that the Kantara Chapter 1 choice broadened opportunities rather than limiting them, giving Rukmini more confidence to attempt varied characters without avoiding morally grey roles.

Project	Year of release	Role type
Kantara Chapter 1	2025	Antagonist
Toxic	To be announced	Yet to be revealed

Looking back, Rukmini says the difficult decision to accept Kantara Chapter 1's villain role, the stress around release, and the later positive feedback together strengthened craft and confidence, showing that taking creative risks early can expand options rather than close doors for actors in regional cinema.