Rishab Shetty's Kantara 2 shoot halted after junior artist drowns in Kollur river

Man drown during Kantara shooting

The shooting of Rishab Shetty’s much-awaited Kantara 2 was tragically halted on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 6, following the death of junior artist MF Kapil. Kapil, who was part of the film's crew, drowned in the Kollur Souparnika River in Karnataka after choosing to take a dip during a lunch break.

Strong currents reportedly carried him away while he was in the river, according to a news18 report. His body was found later that night despite a prompt search and rescue effort spearheaded by the fire department and local authorities.

Due to the great sadness caused by this incident, a case has been filed at the Kollur police station, and an investigation is currently in progress. As the crew dealt with the unanticipated tragedy, the shoot had to be temporarily halted.

The Kantara team has encountered difficulties during production before. Thankfully, no injuries were reported when a bus carrying young artists overturned in Kollur in the past. In addition, the crew was under investigation by the forest department for allegedly disturbing the natural habitat during filming, and unexpected, severe weather destroyed a large, costly set.

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The prequel, Kantara: Chapter 1, was announced as a result of Kantara (2022)'s success. The makers of the movie took to Instagram to reaffirm that the release date is still set, despite recent rumours suggesting a possible postponement. As promised, the movie will be released on October 2, 2025.

Rishab Shetty and the crew have started filming Kantara: Chapter 1's final schedule, which started on May 7, 2025. The team has practiced for a significant battle scene at the site, which is roughly 20 kilometres from Kundapur, Karnataka. The action, which will involve an enormous 3,000 participants, is said to have been choreographed by over 500 trained fighters, making it one of the most ambitious and intense war scenes ever seen in Indian cinema.