Tragedy strikes 'Kantara' sets again: Third junior artist dies
12 Jun 2025
In a tragic turn of events, Viju VK, a 33-year-old junior artist from Kerala, has died due to a heart attack. The incident took place while he was shooting for Kantara Chapter 1 in Agumbe.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital after complaining of chest pain, but was declared dead on arrival, reported Asianet Suvarna News.
The incident took place on the night of Wednesday.
This is the third death of a junior artist associated with the film.
Viju was staying with the team in Agumbe
Family's arrival
Viju, a mimicry artist from Thrissur, was staying with the Kantara Chapter 1 team at a homestay in Agumbe.
Locals rushed to help and attempted to take him to the JC Hospital in Thirthahalli, but he was declared dead. His body was later taken to the government hospital in Thirthahalli, where a postmortem will reportedly be conducted after his family arrives from Kerala.
His family is expected to reach Thirthahalli on Thursday to take custody of his mortal remains.
Several other junior artists associated with film have died
Film's troubles
The filming of Kantara Chapter 1 has been riddled with unfortunate incidents.
Earlier, junior artist MF Kapil (33) drowned while swimming in the Souparnika River near Kollur. This was followed by the death of Comedy Khiladigalu fame Rakesh Poojary (33).
There were also complaints about delays in payments and a road accident involving a vehicle carrying junior artists that left many injured.
Coincidentally, all three individuals who passed away are said to be of the same age.
'Kantara Chapter 1' set to release on October 2, 2025
Release date
Despite the string of unfortunate incidents, the team of Kantara Chapter 1 is focused on its release. The film is set to hit theaters on October 2, 2025.
There have been rumors about a possible delay in its release, but the team has repeatedly assured fans that they will stick to their original schedule.
The film is a prequel to Rishab Shetty's blockbuster Kantara (2022).
