29 September,2025 08:02 PM IST | Mumbai | Athulya Nambiar
Rishab Shetty
With the release of the much-awaited Kannada film Kantara: Chapter 1 drawing near, actor-director Rishab Shetty addressed recent reports suggesting that deaths occurred on the sets of the film. During the making of the film, reports had surfaced regarding deaths of crew members. Speaking at a media interaction in Mumbai, the filmmaker clarified the situation, calling the narratives misleading and hurtful.
When asked about the alleged deaths on the sets of the film, Shetty clarified, "It was a narrative that was set. Not one incident had happened on our sets". He acknowledged, however, that three individuals associated with the film did tragically pass away, but none of the incidents occurred during shooting.
Sharing details, Rishab explained that one of the deceased was a junior artiste who suffered a heart attack at his place of stay. "He was not on set at the time. We sent people from our production. He faced medical trouble somewhere between the set and his home. Production did everything from their end to help the bereaved family," he said.
The second incident involved a young man who had been visiting a temple. Despite warning signs, he jumped into a nearby river to swim and drowned while his friend looked on. The third loss, Rishab revealed with emotion, was a more personal one. "A prominent person in our film, Rakesh, was quite close to me. He had completed his portions and left about 25 days before his demise. He suffered a sudden heart attack while dancing at a family event. He was with us for 1.5 years, and we miss him terribly. Rakesh was a great new talent, and I had high hopes that he would get big opportunities after Kantara's release," Rishab shared.
The actor expressed disappointment at how such tragedies were sensationalised. "Associating deaths to the movie has become a trend," he remarked, urging people not to link unfortunate personal losses to the film's mystical themes.
Kantara: Chapter 1, a prequel to the 2022 blockbuster Kantara, explores mythological and cultural traditions from coastal Karnataka. With Rishab Shetty returning as both actor and director, the film has already generated massive anticipation across India.
