Junior artiste drowns on 'Kantara' set, Rishab Shetty’s film shoot temporarily halted

The production of Rishab Shetty’s much-awaited sequel-prequel, 'Kantara: Chapter 1', came to an abrupt halt after a junior artiste died. MF Kapil, an aspiring talent from Kerala, drowned in the Kollur Souparnika River on Tuesday afternoon. He had reportedly gone for a swim in the river following a lunch break when he was swept away by a strong current.

Local authorities, along with the fire department, launched an immediate search and rescue operation. Sadly, Kapil’s body was recovered from the river later that evening. A case has been registered at the Kollur police station, and investigations into the circumstances of the incident are currently underway. The accident has cast a pall over the film's shoot.

This incident marks yet another setback for the 'Kantara: Chapter 1' team, which has been grappling with multiple challenges in recent months. Earlier, a bus transporting junior artistes overturned in Kollur. However, no injuries were reported by the team.

Additionally, a massive set constructed at high cost was destroyed due to unexpected wind and rain damage. The crew also came under scrutiny from the forest department for allegedly disturbing the natural habitat during filming.

The upcoming film is being produced on a pan-India scale and is set for a theatrical release in October 2025. There were rumours doing the rounds that the film had been delayed due to all the difficulties faced by the makers.

However, the team shared a cute video reconfirming the release date as October 2, dismissing the rumours about a postponement.

Directed by Rishab Shetty and backed by Hombale Films, 'Kantara: Chapter 1' is a big-budget prequel to the original 2022 blockbuster, 'Kantara'. The film is set during the reign of the Kadambas of Banavasi and features Rishab Shetty, Jayaram, Kishore and Jayasurya, among others.