Kalabhavan Niju Dies of Heart Attack on Kantara Chapter 1 Set in a Tragic Incident

The upcoming pan-India film ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ has faced yet another heartbreaking loss. Popular mimicry artist and actor Kalabhavan Niju,

By Bollyy 14 Jun 2025 in Latest News

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The upcoming pan-India film ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ has faced yet another heartbreaking loss. Popular mimicry artist and actor Kalabhavan Niju, who was part of the movie’s cast, tragically passed away at the age of 43 due to a heart attack during the film’s shoot in Bengaluru on 12 June 2025.

Kalabhavan Niju Dies During Shoot in Bengaluru

Kalabhavan Niju

According to media reports, Niju suffered severe chest pain while staying at a cast home-stay and was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead. Mimicry artist Kannan Sagar confirmed the news via a WhatsApp group around 10:30 PM on Thursday. Niju had reportedly auditioned for and earned his role in Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1.

Third Tragic Death Linked to the Film

Kalabhavan Niju’s death marks the third fatal incident involving the Kantara 2 production team:

In May 2025, actor-comedian Rakesh Pujari (33) died of a heart attack during a wedding.
In the same month, junior artist M.F. Kapil (32) drowned in Kerala’s Sowparnika river during a break.
In November 2024, a bus carrying 20 junior artists met with an accident in Moodur, but they escaped unharmed.
A lavish film set was also destroyed by heavy rain, causing further delays.

Kantara Chapter 1 to Release in Multiple Languages

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Directed by Rishab Shetty, Kantara Chapter 1 is a prequel to the 2022 blockbuster ‘Kantara’ and will release in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Malayalam. The central storyline remains under wraps, and the filmmakers are maintaining high confidentiality regarding the cast and production details.

Currently, the film is in its third shooting schedule, with half of the shoot already completed. As per sources, the team is planning a grand worldwide release on 2 October 2025.

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