May 6, 2025, witnessed the sudden interruption of the shooting of ‘Kantara 2’ as junior artist MF Kapil drowned in the Kollur river under unexpected circumstances.
The Tragic Accident
The long-awaited sequel of Rishab Shetty’s blockbuster movie Kantara, Kantara 2, was shut down abruptly in sorrow following the unfortunate death of junior artist MF Kapil. On Tuesday, May 6, afternoon, Kapil, one of the crew members, drowned while he took a break from shooting. The accident took place in the Kollur Souparnika River in Karnataka, where Kapil allegedly went for a swim. The powerful river currents took him away, even as the rescue team tried to find him.
As per a News18 report, the local police and the firefighting department initiated a full-scale search and rescue operation, but Kapil’s body was recovered later the same night. The incident sent the cast and crew of the film into deep mourning, and due to this reason, the shoot was immediately suspended.
Investigation Underway
After the tragic accident, the Kollur police have filed a case, and an investigation is in progress to ascertain the precise reason behind the drowning. The authorities are investigating any possible safety failures or negligence on the set during the shoot that might have led to the tragic accident. The production team of the film has offered condolences to the family of the victim and is assisting the investigation.
Previous Challenges During Production
This is not the first time that the Kantara 2 team has faced a setback during production. Earlier, the crew had another incident when a bus carrying young artists skidded in Kollur, although no one was hurt. The crew had also faced criticism from the forest department for allegedly disrupting the natural environment while shooting, which caused some delays and issues. Another problem occurred when bad weather damaged a large and costly set to a great extent, adding more to the trouble experienced while filming the sequel.
The Release Date of the Sequel
Despite the continuous struggle and the tragic death of MF Kapil, producers of Kantara 2 have promised that the release date of the movie would not be disturbed. The production team will release the movie as scheduled on October 2, 2025. The producers gave the good news through their social media channels, stating that the shooting plan would be carried forward after completing the required arrangements in light of the tragedy.
Major Battle Scene Filming
On a more positive note, Kantara 2 is still in the process of filming with the last schedule for Kantara: Chapter 1. This part of the movie went on the floor from May 7, 2025, and has already begun making waves for its massive scale. A huge battle scene is being shot at a place about 20 kilometers away from Kundapur, Karnataka, with more than 3,000 actors involved. This action sequence is reported to be one of the most ambitious ever imagined in Indian cinema, with more than 500 specially trained fighters choreographing the ferocious war scenes.
The much-awaited action sequence will be among the movie’s biggest highlights and an indication of the filmmakers’ commitment to providing a cinematic treat. The team has been toiling day and night in an endeavor to finish the last schedule, amidst their mourning of a dear colleague’s loss.
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