Junior artist drowns on the sets of Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1; investigation underway

In Pic: Kantara poster

A piece of tragic news has come from the sets of Rishab Shetty's Kantara: Chapter 1. Reportedly, a junior artist has passed away by drowning in the Kollur Souparnika River on Tuesday afternoon due to the river's strong current. While the Kantara team is yet to confirm this news, it has been said that a case has been registered and Kollur Police is investigating the matter.

India Today, in their report, stated that a junior artist named MF Kapor, who hails from Kerala, went to swim in the Kollur Souparnika River but due to its strong current, he was swept away. The local authorities and fire department immediately started the search and rescue operation, and by Tuesday evening, they recovered Kapor's body.

This is not the first accident on Kantara's set. Earlier, news came out that a bus carrying junior artists met with an accident. After this, a source close to the production confirmed, "A minor accident occurred 20 kilometers away from the shooting location, involving a local bus carrying some members of the Kantara team. However, no injuries were reported."

Kantara: Chapter 1 release date

It was recently announced that the makers revealed the release date of the prequel to the award-winning 2022 film Kantara: A Legend. Kantara: Chapter 1 , a prequel to the National Award-winning Kannada film, is set to arrive in cinemas on October 2, 2025.

About Rishab Shetty's Kantara

Kantara, written and directed by Rishab Shettyand produced by Vijay Kiragandur under Hombale Films, starred Rishab Shetty in dual roles. The film is set in, and was filmed in, Keradi in coastal Karnataka. Principal photography began in August 2021.

The film turned out to be a major commercial success, emerging as the second-highest-grossing Kannada film of all time after K.G.F: Chapter 2, which was released the same year, just a few months apart. It was also 2022's fourth-highest-grossing film in India. The film has been a favorite not just among audiences but also authorities, as it was featured in the 54th IFFI Indian Panorama section, where it won the Silver Peacock - Special Jury Award.

For the upcoming film, Rishab has undergone rigorous training in Kalaripayattu, one of the oldest martial art forms originating from Kerala. Kantara: Chapter 1 introduced the richness of Konkan folklore to the world.