‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ crew member drowns near Udupi; shoot halted-OxBig News Network

Actor-producer-director Rishab Shetty is filming a prequel to his hit film Kantara.
| Photo Credit: File photo

A 32-year-old member of the crew filming Kannada movie Kantara: Chapter 1 allegedly drowned in the Souparnika river in Kollur in Udupi district of Karnataka on May 6.

Kollur police gave the name of the deceased as M.F. Kapil, a native of Kottayam in Kerala.

The police said, after lunch, Kapil went to the river where he was caught in the cross currents. Locals rescued him from the water, but Kapil died later. After members of Kapil’s family arrived, an autopsy was done in their presence on May 7, police said.

A case has been registered at the Kollur police station, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing. The production team has not issued an official statement at the time of writing.

This is the latest in a string of setbacks for Kantara: Chapter 1, directed by Rishab Shetty. Earlier in the schedule, a bus transporting junior artistes overturned in Kollur. No injuries were reported in that incident. Additionally, a large set built for the film was damaged by unexpected weather, and the crew has faced scrutiny from forest officials over alleged disruption to the local environment.

Despite the challenges, the producers have maintained that the film remains on track for its scheduled release on October 2, 2025. A short video shared recently by the team reaffirmed the date, dismissing speculation about a delay.

Kantara: Chapter 1, a prequel to the 2022 film Kantara, is set during the rule of the Kadamba dynasty. The film features Rishab Shetty in the lead alongside Jayaram, Kishore, and Jayasurya. It is being produced by Hombale Films as a large-scale pan-India project.