The production of Rishab Shetty’s long-awaited Kantara: Chapter 1 hit yet another snag this weekend as Kalabhavan Niju, a mimicry artist and actor from Kerala, reportedly died of a heart attack on Thursday night in Bengaluru while on the film set. He was only 43 years old.
This represents the third death while working on the film and adds to the troubled, incident-prone production history of Sandalwood.
Kalabhavan Niju’s Last Few Hours
According to a report, Niju complained of chest pain at a homestay booked for the film’s actors in Bangalore. Fortunately, they took him to the hospital, but there was little they could do in the short time that passed.
A fellow mimicry artist, Kannan Sagar, confirmed with the publication that he heard of Niju’s passing in a WhatsApp group around 10:30 PM.
Niju has been most recently seen in Marco and reportedly auditioned for his part in Kantara: Chapter 1. Niju’s unexpected death sends shockwaves rippling through fans and colleagues alike, with condolences coming in from both the Malayalam and Kannada entertainment communities.
A Long String of Bad Luck for Kantara: Chapter 1
This isn’t the first occasion tragedy has hit the film’s crew. Just last month:
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Kannada actor-comedian Rakesh Poojary, aged 33, recently died from a cardiac arrest while he was attending a friend’s wedding.
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Around the same time, 32-year-old junior artist MF Kapil, also from Kerala, died in a river accident while filming near the Souparnika River.
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In November 2022, a minibus with 20 junior artists was in an accident in Mudoor — all survived.
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Previously, a very expansive set built for the film came down in heavy rains, which delayed and added stress for production.
After several rapid incidents, fans and industry insiders hope that the dark cloud over the production lifts soon.
About Kantara: Chapter 1
Kantara: Chapter 1 is a prequel to the 2022 blockbuster Kantara, which tells the mythological backstory of the lead character played by Rishab Shetty.
The film is produced by Hombale Films, popular for mega-hits such as KGF and Salaar.
Rishab Shetty returns to star in and direct the culturally established epic, which is now slated to release on October 2, 2025.
Box Office Worldwide Verdict
Though Kantara: Chapter 1 could be a cinematic experience steeped in folklore, magic, and visual scope, it has been hit with an unusually high number of tragedies.
The death of Kalabhavan Niju is tragic not only because of the loss to the film but also for the regional arts and mimicry troupe he comes from.
Then came the shattering news of the crew member deaths. We wish the unit all the best for the final push on completion of the shoot and look forward to seeing the final film as a tribute to the lives and efforts of every artist lost along the way.
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