A collage of MF Kapil and Kantara Chapter 1 poster featuring Rishab Shetty.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Mumbai: The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has urged the Karnataka government for a thorough probe into the death of Kerala-based junior artist M F Kapil, who allegedly drowned while he had gone for a swim in the Souparnika River near Kollur during his lunch break while the shooting of a film.
Kapil was part of the Kantara: Chapter-1 being produced by Rishab Shetty.
Following the success of Kantara in 2022, the makers announced a prequel titled Kantara: Chapter 1. Recently, rumours suggested that the film's release might be delayed.
The Kannada film will hit theatres on October 2, 2025, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti.
The AICWA urged Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to initiate a high-level, impartial investigation into the death of Kapil, ensuring justice for his family and an FIR against Rishab Shetty. Besides, the AICWA demanded a Rs 1 crore compensation for the family of Kapil.
The AICWA, in a post on X, said Kapil, aged 33, was a resident of Moosarithara, Vaikom in Kerala.
According to the AICWA, Kapil lost his life on May 6, 2025, 1545 hrs near Souparnika River, close to Kollur, Karnataka, during the shooting of the film “Kantara 2 (Chapter-1).”
“According to the film’s producer and owner of the production house, Rishab Shetty, the cause of death has been stated as drowning while swimming in the river. An FIR has been registered at Kollur Police Station regarding this incident,” it said.
The film industry body said that it is gravely concerned that incidents of fatalities on film sets, such as the deaths of technicians during the shooting of Tamil films “Indian 2” and “Sardar 2,” and the recent accident involving 20 junior artists traveling by bus last November, are consistently misrepresented.
“Producers and production houses often downplay the severity of such incidents, providing misleading information. In this latest tragedy, the claim of drowning needs to be thoroughly investigated to determine if it is the true cause of death or if there are other factors involved,” it said.
In the statement, it said that the AICWA firmly believes that whenever a worker loses their life on a film set, the actual cause is often concealed, and any worker attempting to reveal the truth is threatened. This practice of covering up the reality behind such tragic incidents must end.