Junior artiste loses life after drowning in river on film set of Rishab Shetty’s 'Kantara 2'

Rishab Shetty is currently busy working on his much-awaited film 'Kantara: Chapter 1', a prequel to his 2022 hit 'Kantara'. However, the shoot has come to a halt after a junior artiste tragically lost his life on location in Kerala.Junior artiste diesAccording to News18 Kannada, a junior artiste named M.F. Kapil from Kerala reportedly drowned in the Souparnika River in Kollur on Tuesday afternoon (May 7).Sources state that the incident occurred when Kapil ventured into the river for a swim during a lunch break and was caught off guard by a strong current.legal actionsLocal authorities, along with fire and rescue teams, began searching for his body immediately after the alert was raised, but it was only recovered later in the evening. Officials at the Kollur police station have registered a case, and an investigation is underway to ascertain the exact circumstances that led to the fatal accident.Previous issues The loss has cast a shadow over the production, which has already been grappling with several unforeseen challenges in recent weeks. In November last year, a bus carrying around 20 junior artistes overturned in Kollur while returning from filming in Mudoor, Jadkal, leaving many of them injured.In another incident, a large set built for the film was severely damaged by strong winds and rain. Moreover, the crew faced issues with the forest department over allegations of disrupting the natural ecosystem during filming.Rumours regarding delays in the film’s release were recently put to rest when the team posted a cheerful video reaffirming that the movie will release in cinemas on October 2, 2025.Directed by Rishab Shetty, who also plays the lead role, 'Kantara: Chapter 1' is envisioned as a pan-India spectacle. The big-budget prequel is set during the rule of the Kadamba dynasty in Banavasi and stars Rishab Shetty alongside Jayaram, Kishore, and Jayasurya.Rishab won the National Award for Best Actor last year for his performance in the sequel 'Kantara'. Amidst the continuous hurdles in the shoot, Rishab, along with his wife Pragathi Shetty, was seen taking part in the Bhoota Kola festival to seek the blessings of Panjurli Daiva.Similar incidentLast month, tragedy struck the sets of Riteish Deshmukh’s upcoming historical film 'Raja Shivaji' when a 26-year-old dancer lost his life after reportedly drowning in the Krishna River shortly after completing a shoot.