Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Refusing to hold any single person or government responsible for the Karur stampede, Kantara Chapter One director Rishab Shetty said the incident was an accident and “probably fault of many people.” Talking about the accidents on the set that led to the death of the crew, Rishab Shetty said that it was not because of any curse and that this was also an accident that there was protection from gods. He also said that he cannot disrespect other languages if he was a true Kannadiga. The actor-director was speaking to NDTV news in an exclusive interview.
Earlier, the Kantara team had announced several promotional events across India to build excitement ahead of the film’s release. The crew had planned appearances in key cities, fan interactions, and media meet-ups. However, in light of the recent Karur tragedy, they decided to cancel the Chennai event, prioritizing sensitivity and respect for the victims and their families. In a post, the makers wrote, “Due to the recent unfortunate incident, we are cancelling the #KantaraChapter1 promotional event in Chennai. Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected. Thank you for your understanding. We look forward to meeting our audience in Tamil Nadu at a more suitable time.”
The film is a prequel to the 2022 blockbuster ‘Kantara’ and has received praise for its stunning visuals, epic scale, and rich portrayal of folklore and mythology. The cast includes Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah, Jayaram, among others, while the music is composed by B. Ajaneesh Loknath. The film has emerged as one of the biggest box office hits of 2025, setting new standards for Indian cinema with an extraordinary opening weekend performance. The movie shattered box office records, collecting an impressive Rs 223.25 crore over its four-day extended weekend.
During the production of Kantara: Chapter 1, the team faced several tragic losses. Three individuals associated with the film passed away, although these incidents were unrelated to the shooting itself. Actor Rakesh Poojary died of a heart attack about 15–20 days after completing his scenes while attending a friend’s wedding, with director Rishab Shetty describing him as “like a brother.” Mimicry artist Kalabhavan Niju also succumbed to a heart attack during the production period. Tragically, 32-year-old junior artist MF Kapil drowned in the Souparnika River near Kollur, Karnataka, during a break from shooting, prompting an FIR and demands for an investigation. Additionally, a bus carrying around 20 junior artists met with an accident near Jadkal, but fortunately, no one was injured. Despite these challenges, the crew completed the film over 250 days of shooting across real locations, demonstrating dedication to bringing the story to life.
