When Rishab Shetty announced a prequel to Kantara, most people were thrilled. The first movie was such a surprise hit it felt real, raw, and different from anything else. Everyone was hoping this next one would give them that same magic. But things have been kind of messy on set for a while now.
It Started With a Loss
Back in May this year, something really sad happened. M.F. Kapil, one of the junior actors from Kerala, drowned in a river near the shoot. It was heartbreaking, especially since nobody was even working that day. The production house told everyone that he was on a personal break, not part of the shoot. Even then, people were shocked. The All India Cine Workers Association called for an investigation into safety and asked the makers to help Kapil’s family. Everyone hoped that was the end of the bad news, but it wasn’t.
Another Death on Set
Then, a few weeks later, the team faced another terrible loss. Kalabhavan Niju, a mimicry artist who was also part of the project, had a heart attack on set. Niju was well-known in the Malayalam entertainment scene, so this hit everyone. You could feel the sadness and fear spreading around the crew. Two deaths so close together? It felt like the project was going through a cursed patch.
Accidents and Close Calls
And it didn’t stop at those tragedies. Around mid-June, Rishab Shetty and some thirty crew members were on a boat across the Mani reservoir for a shoot. Out of nowhere, the boat flipped. Thankfully, they were in shallow water and nobody was badly hurt, but they lost expensive cameras and sound equipment that disappeared into the reservoir. That wasn’t even the first close call. A few months before that, a minibus full of junior artists overturned while heading to the set. Nobody was seriously hurt, but it scared people.
And the set itself? Even that took a beating. Storms and rain damaged huge sections of it, so the team had to rebuild. Every time one problem seemed solved, another one came up. It was like the movie just didn’t want to get made.
Complaints From Villagers
If all that wasn’t enough, there were also complaints from people living near some of the shoot locations. Back in January, locals in Gavigudda and Heruru, Karnataka, said that the crew was using explosives and messing up forest areas without permission. Some even claimed they’d been threatened or pushed around when they raised questions. That led to the forest department looking into the shoot too. All of this created tension and added to the list of things for the team to sort out.
Rumors of a Delay
With all these problems, deaths, accidents, damaged sets, and legal complaints, nobody was surprised when rumors started going around that Kantara 2 would be pushed back. Fans were disappointed but also kind of expecting it. Then Hombale Films stepped in and said no, they’re going to make the deadline. The official word is that the film is still on track for its release on 2nd October 2025. Rishab and the crew have been very clear that they won’t let these setbacks stop them.
And apparently, they’ve also been leaning into spiritual rituals and prayers on set, hoping to turn their luck around before they finish shooting.
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Determined to Push Ahead
In spite of all the accidents, legal hassles, and delays, Rishab Shetty and Hombale Films seem really committed to completing this film. You can tell they believe in what they’re doing. Even people close to the shoot say everyone’s still working hard and trying to stay hopeful.
Making movies, especially ones like Kantara, which mean so much to the team, isn’t easy at the best of times. Right now, it’s been one setback after another. But everyone’s still pushing forward, hoping that after all this struggle, the movie will finally come together and be something special. And honestly, with the way the first one touched people, it feels like this one deserves to make it too.
Writer — Subham Choudhary