When Diljit Dosanjh announced that he'll be collaborating with Rishab Shetty on Kantara Chapter 1, fans were thrilled. While Diljit had already lent his vocals for Nag Ashwin's Kalki 2898 AD, the coming together of a Punjabi and a Kannada artist piqued the curiosity of many as it would mark one of the biggest pan-Indian collaborations of the year. In a social media post, Diljit had said that he shares a 'personal connection' with Kantara and that he cried out of 'ecstasy' when he watched the song Varaha Roopam Deiva Va Rishtam play out on the big screen.
Later, it was revealed that he crooned the Hindi version of Rebel Song in Kantara Chapter 1. Now, speaking exclusively to News18 Showsha, Rishab talks about this unusual collaboration and recalls how Diljit became the voice of Rebel Song. "I was in Kochi as the post-production of our film was underway there. At that time, we wanted to get a singer onboard for a song who speaks a different language and who isn't from Karnataka," he says.
Rishab further adds, "The next morning, I suddenly thought of Diljit but I got stuck as I couldn't remember his name (laughs). I felt that with a strong voice like he has, he would be the perfect fit to sing Bole Re Kantara. I went back to doing my research and then I recalled his name. I got on a conference call with my producer and the music composer. I told them that Diljit's voice would be the perfect choice for the track. They all got really excited."
What happened next proved that Diljit indeed felt a deep connection with the 2022 film. "I contacted his manager, who told me that Diljit cancelled his shows and took his entire team to rewatch Kantara. I was told that he's really fond of me and my film. Within three-four days, the plan fell to action and he came to YRF and recorded the song. And after recording, he told me that he wants to speak to me in private for five minutes," he shares.
The conversation that followed brought Diljit and Rishab closer to each other as they realised that there's one more thing in common between them than just their love for the creative arts. "He spoke to me about his experience of watching Kantara and how the film aligns with his personal beliefs. Woh bhi mere jaise bahot bade Shiv bhakt hai. It felt like a divine connection. It was divine energy that led him to Kantara and brought us together," Rishab remarks.
Excited to have joined hands with the global music sensation, Rishab believes that the B Ajaneesh Loknath anthem elevated the screenplay and took it notches higher. Lauding Diljit, he says, "His vocals have rendered a whole lot of positivity and energy to the song. He was very happy to do it and so were we. Bole Re Kantara forms an important sequence in the film. The song placement looks very interesting."